A Taisho Thatched House in the Kihoku Hills
Myojo Soan (明星草庵, Myōjō sōan) is a Taisho-era thatched farmhouse at Myojogaoka, a cultural facility in Shimokagiyama, Kihoku Town, Kitauwa District, Ehime Prefecture; moved to this site in 1990, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 13, 2012. Kihoku Town owns it.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a single-storey wooden building with a thatched roof and a building area of 91 square metres; its registration number is 38-0108. According to the Agency, it faces south and measures 13.0 m by 7.0 m under an Irimoya-zukuri hip-and-gable roof of thatch.
Why It Was Registered
Myojo Soan was registered as a model of architectural form. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a small thatched farmhouse built of good-quality timber such as zelkova, which preserves the house type of Ehime's mountain districts.
It consists of two 8-mat rooms and an earthen-floored area, with a veranda along the south and west sides and a board-floored extension projecting into the earthen area (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The plan is simple, but it shows clearly how a home was shaped for life in the hills.
What to Look For
According to Ehime's official tourism site, Iyokan-net, the house is enclosed by an earthen wall with a side gate and a storehouse. Folk tools that were actually used are displayed in the earthen-floored area, and sitting in the tatami rooms gives a feel for mountain life.
From the veranda you can look out over the hills of the Hiyoshi area and hear the chime of the suikinkutsu, a buried water harp, in the garden (Iyokan-net). The veranda around the south and west sides links the house to the landscape outside.
Visiting Myojo Soan
Myojo Soan is open within the Myojogaoka facilities. According to Iyokan-net, hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed on Mondays and over the New Year (December 28 to January 4). Admission is 200 yen for adults and free for junior high school students and younger, shared with the other Myojogaoka facilities. Enquiries: Kihoku Town Bunka no Oka Myojogaoka (0895-44-2666).
It is about a 4-minute walk from the Hiyoshi Shisho-mae stop of Uwajima Bus, and there is free parking for 30 cars (Iyokan-net). Ask on site about photography.
Q&A
- When was Myojo Soan built?
- In the Taisho era; it was moved to its present site in 1990.
- When was Myojo Soan registered as a cultural property?
- It became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 13, 2012.
- What is the house like?
- A 13.0 m by 7.0 m single-storey house with a thatched hip-and-gable roof, two 8-mat rooms and an earthen floor, built of good timber such as zelkova.
- What are the opening hours and admission?
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Mondays; adults 200 yen, junior high school and younger free (shared with other Myojogaoka facilities).
- How do I get to Myojo Soan?
- About 4 minutes on foot from the Hiyoshi Shisho-mae bus stop; free parking for 30 cars.
Basic Information
| Name | Myojo Soan (明星草庵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 432 Shimokagiyama, Kihoku Town, Kitauwa District, Ehime Prefecture (Myojogaoka) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2012/8/13 (Heisei 24) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single storey, thatched, building area 91 square metres |
| Owner | Kihoku Town |
| Public Access | Open (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Mondays, adults 200 yen) |
References
- Myojo Soan (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009402
- Myojo Soan (Iyokan-net, Ehime Prefecture official tourism site)
- https://www.iyokannet.jp/spot/3487
- Myojogaoka (Kihoku Town)
- https://www.town.kihoku.ehime.jp/site/kanko-e/944.html
Last verified: 2026.10.05