About the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex
The Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex (旧内山家住宅離れ, Kyū-Uchiyama-ke Jūtaku Hanare) is a single-storey wooden guest wing built in the late Taishō era (1919 to 1926) at 10-7 Shiromachi, Ono City, Fukui Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2018.
The Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex stands southeast of the main house and is linked to it by a covered corridor. Its Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof runs north to south and is laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles, and the building area is 121 m². Ono City describes it as a shoin study-and-reception wing in the relaxed sukiya manner. Like the main house, it was dismantled and rebuilt in 1992.
Modern Touches in a Traditional Frame
The Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex was registered as a model of form. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it works modern ideas into a traditional type throughout.
The main house dates from around 1882, so the annex arrived some 40 years later. If the main house was built to keep up the formality of a samurai home, the annex looks like the same family making room to relax in the taste of the Taishō era. Walking from one to the other, you move between two generations of Japanese domestic life on the same plot.
Rooms and Bathroom of the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex
Inside the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex, an 8-mat reception room takes the south end, with 6-mat and 3-mat rooms to the north. A bath and a toilet are built in on the east side. The best room gets the southern light, the smaller rooms sit behind it, and the plumbing is kept to one side.
Having its own bath and toilet suggests the annex was meant for staying in, not just for receiving a guest for an hour.
A Slanted Pine Post and a Deep Eave
The first thing to look for in the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex is the alcove in the 8-mat room. Its Tokobashira, the post that frames the Tokonoma, is a log of Japanese red pine set at a slant, giving the alcove unusual depth. Letting a natural log rather than a squared post take centre stage is very much in the sukiya spirit.
The second is the garden side. The annex opens wide towards the garden under a deep Tsuchibisashi, an eave carried out on its own posts. The deep overhang creates a roofed outdoor space between the room and the garden.
Visiting the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex
The Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex is part of what you can see at the Buke Yashiki Kyu-Uchiyama-ke, reached from the main house along the corridor. To appreciate the alcove, move round from the doorway until you face the tokonoma squarely and see which way the pine post leans.
Check at the reception how far into the room you may go and whether photography is allowed. Opening days and admission are on the Former Uchiyama Family Residence (Ono) page.
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Q&A
- When was the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Taishō era (1919 to 1926). It was dismantled and rebuilt in 1992.
- What kind of building is the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex?
- A single-storey wooden reception wing with a gabled pantile roof, 121 m² in area, joined to the main house by a corridor. Ono City calls it a sukiya-style shoin.
- Why is the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2018 as a model of form, for the way it brings modern ideas into a traditional building type.
- What is special about the alcove in the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex?
- Its alcove post is a red-pine log set at a slant, which gives the tokonoma extra depth.
- Can visitors see the Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex?
- Yes. It is open as part of the Buke Yashiki Kyu-Uchiyama-ke and reached from the main house by a corridor. Ask at the reception about access to the room and photography.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Uchiyama Family Residence Annex (旧内山家住宅離れ) |
|---|---|
| Location | 10-7 Shiromachi, Ono City, Fukui Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2018 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 121 m² (wooden, single storey) |
| Owner | Ono City |
| Public Access | Open (admission charged, as Buke Yashiki Kyu-Uchiyama-ke) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 旧内山家住宅離れ
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012324
- Ono City: Buke Yashiki Kyu-Uchiyama-ke, facility guide
- https://www.city.ono.fukui.jp/kosodate/bunka-rekishi/hakubutsukan/kanko/uchiyamake/uchiyamake-1.html
- Ono City: List of cultural properties
- https://www.city.ono.fukui.jp/kosodate/bunka-rekishi/shokai/bunkazai.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
