Honjin is the inns for nobility and government officials as well as for domain lords, who are on their way of the sankin kotai (the system of “alternate attendance”) travels. They are located in the post station towns on the main roads in the Edo period (1603-1868).
The town of Kannabe was flourished as the post station between Yagake in present Okayama Prefecture and Imazu in present Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Kannabe Honjin, built in 1748, is a valuable historic site, which has kept to its original appearance to this day. All the rooms including Onari-no-ma, Jodan-no-ma, San-no-ma, Fuda-no-ma and the entrance hall have been preserved in a good state.
The main gate, built in 1855, and the adjacent black earth walls remain prestigious as bygone days.
Kannabe Honjin was designated as a Historic Site by the prefecture in 1951 as the building that remains in the original form for about 250 years.