The Yamura Domain was established in Yamura, the center of the Gunnai area, in the Edo Period. In the early Edo Period, the Akimoto Clan, which went on to rule the Yamura Domain, developed the town around the castle, and the districts created at that time remain to the present.
Around Yamura-jo Castle, water from the upper part of the Tahara Waterfalls sourced from the Katsura River was drawn into the town around Yamura-jo Castle for agriculture, drinking, and woven fabric production. The water from one of the branch rivers sourced from the Katyu River still flows through the town.
It is thought that the Akimoto Clan, which had moved from Joshu-Soja (present-day Maebashi City in Gunma Prefecture), where silk fabric production was very active, was deeply associated with the growth of Gunnai woven fabric in the area.
With the establishment of branch stores of major wholesalers in Edo, Yamura flourished as a base for the distribution of Gunnai woven fabric. Gorgeous floats featured in the harvest festival (Hassaku-sai) in Yamura were made with donations from Yamura silk wholesalers. This provides evidence of the prosperity of Yamura as a base for the distribution for Gunnai woven fabric.
The road to Mount Fuji (Fuji-michi) now overlaps with National Route 139 and runs through Yamura.