The front door of a mining fortune
The Former Kurauchi Family Residence Grand Entrance Wing (旧蔵内家住宅大玄関棟, Kyū-Kurauchi-ke Jūtaku Ōgenkan-tō) in Kamifukano, Chikujo-machi, Fukuoka Prefecture, is the single-storey entrance hall of 1920 that fronts the Kurauchi family's buildings, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 14, 2002.
It faces east with its gable toward the visitor, the Tsumairi arrangement, and covers 147 square metres under a copper-sheet roof. Seen from above, the main ridge forms a T, so gables rise to the east, south and north, and a lower skirt of roof runs around all of them. The result is a stack of planes and triangles that changes as you walk across the forecourt.
It was the last major piece of the Taisho-era enlargement that began in 1916, pushed out in front of the Main House to give arriving guests something to face.
Why it was registered
Registered as number 40-0019 for its contribution to the historic landscape, the Grand Entrance Wing is praised in the national record for the lively roofline it gives the whole estate.
The way its date was found is worth knowing. Old newspapers pasted inside a Todobukuro, the box that holds the storm shutters by day, fixed construction to 1920. Scrap paper used by the builders, rather than any formal record, supplied the evidence.
Chikujo Town describes the entrance room as 12 tatami mats in size, and the local tourism association notes the generous use of marble. A coal family receiving business partners clearly wanted them impressed before they had taken off their shoes.
What to look for
Step back across the forecourt first and count the roof layers: the front gable, the side gables to north and south, and the lower eaves beneath. The copper has weathered to a dark, even tone, easy to tell apart from the clay tiles on the Main House and Reception Wing behind.
Inside, look up at the light fitting in the entrance room, which the town picks out as one of the house's notable details. Together with the stonework underfoot it gives a clear sense of how a modern Japanese-style house of the 1920s staged a guest's arrival.
Just northeast of the Grand Entrance Wing stands the Middle Gate, dividing the forecourt from the garden. From the doorway you catch a glimpse of green through it, a small preview of the rooms that follow.
Visiting the Grand Entrance Wing
The Kyu-Kurauchi-tei ticket desk is inside the Former Kurauchi Family Residence Grand Entrance Wing, so every visit starts here, and you pay admission just inside the door. The exterior can be seen from the forecourt before you buy a ticket.
There are steps throughout and wheelchairs cannot be used indoors. Ask staff about photography. Hours, fees and directions are on the Former Kurauchi Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukuoka
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Kurauchi Family Residence Grand Entrance Wing
- [ Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine & Hakata Food Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Former Kurauchi Family Residence Grand Entrance Wing built?
- In 1920. Newspapers pasted inside a shutter box revealed the construction date.
- What is special about the roof of the Kurauchi Grand Entrance Wing?
- The copper-sheet roof has a T-shaped ridge with gables on the east, south and north, surrounded by a lower tier of eaves, giving a layered, changing silhouette.
- Can you go inside the Kurauchi Grand Entrance Wing?
- Yes. The ticket desk for Kyu-Kurauchi-tei is inside, and it is where the visitor route begins.
- How large is the entrance room in the Kurauchi Grand Entrance Wing?
- Chikujo Town gives it as 12 tatami mats.
- What protection does the Kurauchi Grand Entrance Wing have?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) on February 14, 2002.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kurauchi Family Residence Grand Entrance Wing |
|---|---|
| Location | 396 Kamifukano, Chikujo-machi, Chikujo-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2002/2/14 (Heisei 14) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, copper-sheet roof, building area 147 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (opened to the public by Chikujo Town as Kyu-Kurauchi-tei) |
| Public Access | Open to the public; the Kyu-Kurauchi-tei ticket desk is inside (closed Wednesdays) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database: Former Kurauchi Family Residence Grand Entrance Wing (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002700
- Facilities: Kyu-Kurauchi-tei (Chikujo History Walk)
- https://www.chikujo-rekishi.jp/guide/kyukurauchitei/k002.html
- Kyu-Kurauchi-tei (Chikujo Tourism Association)
- https://chikujokanko.com/sightseeing/62/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
