Hyosendo

"This shop, situated on the same site depicted in Hiroshige's image of Kusatsu-juku in the ""53 Stations of the Tokaido"" ukiyoe print series, can be reached heading a short distance northeast on the Tokaido Highway from the Yagura Castle Ruins. This is the last of six shops which originally stood in the area in the Edo period which make and sell hyotan gourd decorations. The shop is filled with hyotan which it makes by taking gourds delivered by a farmer, soaking them in water to cause their interiors to rot away, and removing and cleaning away any remaining material by hand. In addition to unfinished hyotan bearing the gourd's natural color, the shop sells hyotan finished with ink and varnish. The shop's hyotan are viewed as good luck charms and can also be turned into excellent musical instruments."