In Waki-machi, which is located in the northern part of Tokushima Prefecture close to the border with Kagawa Prefecture, is a place called the Udatsu Townscape. This is a place where traditional structures that were built during the mid-Edo period to early Showa period line the streets, and the scenery from that time has been preserved.
This townscape is called Udatsu as a nickname after the Japanese expression "udatsu ga agaranai," which translates to "no hope of getting ahead" or "lacking potential." The mortar coating of the walls between the buildings in Udatsu was used for fire proofing and ornamentation, but installing it cost a lot of money and having it was considered a symbol of wealth. It is said that Udatsu held an important role in denoting the status of a house and that merchants competed in luxury by decorating the buildings with family crests and other ornaments. During the Edo period, the castle town Waki-machi was developed as a trading center for indigo, and the area prospered with indigo trading.
The line of merchants' houses that make up the Udatsu Townscape is about 400 meters long, and visitors can interact with the history and culture of Waki-machi while viewing an architectural scenery that can only be found in old districts.