A Black-Plastered Ryotei in Wakamatsu
The Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building (料亭金鍋本館) is a long-established ryotei restaurant of about 1917 in Honmachi, Wakamatsu Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on July 23, 2004 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a three-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 382 square metres; registration number 40-0039.
An Old Ryotei in Wakamatsu
The Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building is a three-storey timber building of a long-established ryotei, a traditional Japanese restaurant, in Honmachi, Wakamatsu Ward, Kitakyushu (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to Kitakyushu City, Kinnabe was founded in 1895; after its first building was damaged, the present one was rebuilt between the end of the Meiji era and the start of the Taisho era. The Agency dates it to about 1917.
The building is long and narrow from north to south, with rooms on both sides of a central corridor and a 30-mat banquet hall with an alcove and shelves on the first floor up (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes fine timber throughout, a refined sukiya style with Western touches, and a heavy black-plastered exterior that stands out in the townscape; it was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. Kitakyushu City sees it as a record of Wakamatsu's prosperity when it was rebuilt.
What to Look For
Look for the heavy black-plastered exterior (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Kitakyushu City), together with the log-built front gate.
Visiting
According to Kitakyushu City, it is still used as a ryotei. No official information on visits was found.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukuoka
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building
- [ Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine & Hakata Food Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building built?
- In about 1917 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is Ryotei Kinnabe?
- In Honmachi, Wakamatsu Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
- What should I look for?
- The heavy black-plastered exterior and the sukiya-style interior with Western touches.
- Can I visit Ryotei Kinnabe?
- It is still used as a ryotei; no official information on visits was found.
- When was the Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building registered?
- On July 23, 2004 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building (料亭金鍋本館) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-516, 522, 523 Honmachi, Wakamatsu Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/07/23 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Three-storey timber, tiled roof, 382 m² |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | In use as a ryotei (no visiting information) |
References
- Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00004300
- Ryotei Kinnabe Main Building (Kitakyushu City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/contents/02100274.html
Last verified: 2026.10.15
