The Black-Plastered Heart of the House
The Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House (茂木七郎右衛門家住宅主屋, shuoku) in Noda, Chiba Prefecture, is the single-storey timber dwelling at the centre of a soy sauce brewer's estate, built in the middle of the Meiji era and entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 27 March 2018. It covers 282 square metres under a tiled roof and was renovated in 1992.
The house stands toward the northwest of the lot and faces south. Its outer walls are finished in black Shikkui lime plaster, so among storehouses that are mostly white it presents a dark, heavy face. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out that weighty character, and much of it comes from the colour of the walls and the low, broad stance of a one-storey building.
The Agency dates the building to mid-Meiji and gives a range of 1883 to 1897. That window takes in 1887, the year the fifth-generation Mogi Shichiroemon became head of the Noda Soy Sauce Brewers' Association.
Three Wings Joined Together
The Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House is not a single block. A long east-west range forms the spine. From its southwest corner a Doma wing with an earthen floor projects forward, and from the middle of the rear a wing of formal Zashiki rooms runs back at a right angle. Working space sits at the front and the best rooms at the back, and the division between receiving outsiders and family life is made wing by wing.
Beyond the entrance is a seven-mat room with a Tokonoma alcove, and the family's Buddhist altar room lies to its west. The rooms in the rear wing are finely fitted, and the Agency notes how well they convey the way the household lived.
A covered corridor leaves the east end of the north side and leads to the shoin reception wing of 1905. The inner gate opens southeast of the entrance, and the Hongura and Shingura storehouses stand behind. Every other building on the estate is placed in relation to this one.
One of Only Two Judged on Design
Of the 18 structures registered in 2018, only the main house and the shoin were listed as buildings that serve as a model of architectural form. The other 16 were registered for their contribution to the historic landscape. Where the storehouses and walls count as parts of a larger scene, the Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House was recognised for the quality of the building itself.
Its registration number, 12-253, is the first in the consecutive run of 18.
Visiting
The family still lives here. The grounds and the interior are closed, and because the inner gate and board fences screen the front garden, the house is hard to see as a whole from outside. Kotohira Shrine next door opens on the 10th of every month, but a visit there does not give access to the main house.
Please avoid photographing through gates or gaps in the fences. Directions to the estate are on the Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- Can I visit the Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House?
- No. It is still a private home, and neither the grounds nor the interior are open. Kotohira Shrine next door opens on the 10th of every month, but that does not include the main house.
- When was the Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House built?
- In the middle of the Meiji era. The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives a range of 1883 to 1897. The house was renovated in 1992.
- What is the layout of the Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House?
- An east-west main range has an earthen-floored wing projecting from its southwest corner and a wing of formal rooms running back from the middle of the rear. A seven-mat room with an alcove lies beyond the entrance, with the altar room to its west.
- Why is the Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House a registered cultural property?
- It was registered as a model of architectural form. Of the 18 registered structures on the estate, only the main house and the shoin were listed under that criterion.
- Where on the estate is the Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House?
- Toward the northwest of the lot, facing south. The inner gate is southeast of its entrance, a corridor leads to the shoin, and the Hongura and Shingura stand behind.
Basic Information
| Name | Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House (茂木七郎右衛門家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 339 Noda, Noda City, Chiba Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration no. 12-253, criterion: serving as a model of architectural form |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/3/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 282 square metres |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence; grounds and interior closed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 茂木七郎右衛門家住宅主屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012108
- Cultural Heritage Online: 茂木七郎右衛門家住宅主屋 (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/364997
- Chiba Prefecture: Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence Main House and Others (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/kyouiku/bunkazai/bunkazai/q111-103.html
- Noda City: Mogi Shichiroemon Family Residence (Japanese)
- https://www.city.noda.chiba.jp/kurashi/kyoiku/bunka/1000585/1017161.html
Last verified: 2026.09.25
