ASHIKAGA足利市
The small town of Ashikaga (Tochigi Prefecture) is well-known amongst the Japanese, as it lends its name to an era of Japanese history - the Ashikaga shogunate of 1336-1573.
The roots of the name come from the fact that the shogunate was formed from a clan that originated in Ashikaga. Now, the town enjoys plenty of visitors thanks to several temples and buildings of interest and its proximity to Tokyo. The town is surrounded by mountains, and is popular with hikers.
One of the 100 hidden towns in Japan chosen for this publication.