Aizu Buke-yashiki is an outdoor museum consisting of a Samurai residence complex which contains many historical buildings, including the house of Saigou Tanomo, chief retainer of the Azuma clan;  Nakahata-jinya, formerly a local governor’s house (designated as an Important Cultural Asset by Fukushima Prefecture); a Suukiya style tea house and the Aizu clan’s rice mill. The Aizu clan was established by Hoshina Masayuki who was a younger brother of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third Shougun of the Edo government. Throughout the Edo period, the Aizu clan rose in prominence and became a leading clan in northeast Japan controlling other ruling Daimyo families. However, caught in the midst of the turmoil at the end of the Edo period, the Aizu castle town burned down and many of its buildings were destroyed. The original 38-room house of the chief retainer was built using the most skilled and advanced architectural techniques available in the middle of the Edo period.  The reconstructed house employs wax figures to realistically recreate samurai life during that period. The museum also contains the Aizu History Museum;  an Art  Museum which exhibits local Buddhism paintings; stores that sell local specialties from Aizu and Fukushima, and a restaurant that serves local dishes.