Kanra

Kanra lies in Kozuke province, where Obata became a centre of warrior government on the southern side of the Kabura valley. Medieval local houses such as the Shirakura and Obata served the Uesugi, whose authority linked the district to the political struggles of eastern Japan. Under Tokugawa rule, this landscape acquired a new administrative centre.

In 1615 Oda Nobukatsu received Obata with an assessed revenue of 20,000 koku, and his son Nobuyoshi entered the Fukushima residence the following year. Nobumasa planned a move to Obata in 1629; the new jin'ya was completed in 1642. The domain residence and its surrounding settlement became the focus of local government, with the Rakusan-en garden adjoining the official compound. Internal conflict over reforming domain finances erupted in 1766 and drew intervention from the shogunate. In 1767 the Oda were transferred to Takahata, ending 152 years of rule, and Matsudaira Tadatsune received Obata. The succession of houses left a durable pattern of domain offices, warrior residences and town streets within the rural district.