The fire watchtower with an adjacent storehouse is located in the Miyake district of Wakasa along the former Wakasa Kaido trade road. The district is mainly comprised of farmhouses and fields, and the traditional watchtower and storehouse have become a rustic symbol of the area.
The watchtower is a late Edo-period (1603–1867) structure thought to have been built after the Miyake district was ravaged by fire in 1836. It was erected on the gabled roof of the Jizodo Hall, a square building measuring 5.4 meters on each side. A ladder made of thick logs on the eastern wall outside leads to the top, which resembles a small bell tower. The entire building is a rare example of the construction method where the watchtower was added to an existing structure without damaging it.
The Jizodo Hall enshrines a stone statue called Atago Jizo. Faith in Jizo as a deity that grants protection from fire originated on Mt. Atago in Kyoto and gradually spread across the country, facilitated by the various trade routes. The presence of an Atago Jizo in the Miyake district reflects the beliefs and lifestyle of farmers in villages located along such routes, like the well-travelled Wakasa Kaido road.
To the left of the watchtower is a simple wooden storehouse that was constructed in the early Showa period (1926–1989) to keep firefighting tools. When a fire was spotted, the watchtower bell was rung to warn the villagers. Such measures were particularly important in pre-modern Japan, when almost all buildings were made of wood.
