What Is the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House?
The Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House (吉村家住宅（旧大力家住宅）主屋, Yoshimura-ke Jūtaku Kyū-Dairiki-ke Jūtaku Omoya) is a farmhouse from the early Showa period (1926 to 1945) in Tagomori, Ukiha-machi, Ukiha City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 3 December 2024.
Tagomori is a farming and forestry settlement along the Kumanoue River, a tributary of the Chikugo River, and the house stands in the hamlet on the river's west bank. Ukiha City explains that it was built in the early Showa period when a branch of the local Dairiki family set up its own household. It changed hands several times afterward and is now the home of the Yoshimura family, which is why the registered name carries both family names.
A Thatched Roof Dressed in Cedar Bark
The roof is the reason to know this house. The Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House has a hipped Yosemune-zukuri roof of Kayabuki thatch, and over the thatch lies a layered covering of cedar bark. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the structure as cedar-bark roofing, partly tiled, and a lean-to Geya of Sangawara-buki pantiles runs around the house below. Thatch, bark and tile sit in three bands, one above the other.
According to Ukiha City, the growth of forestry in the area made cedar bark a common roofing material from around the Taisho era. As forestry declined and sawmilling was mechanized, most farmhouses had their roofs sheathed in corrugated metal, and bark-roofed houses are now rare. This one keeps a roof tied directly to the work of the surrounding mountains.
The single-storey wooden house covers 114 square meters. It was extended in 1963 and renovated in 1991.
Inside the Dairiki House
The Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House stands toward the east end of a long east-west plot and faces east. The south side is an earth-floored Doma work area, and to the north four rooms are arranged in a square of two by two, the tanoji plan typical of farmhouses in the region.
The two front rooms are laid with tatami and used for receiving guests, while the two rear rooms have wooden floors for everyday living. The northeast room is a formal Zashiki with an alcove. The toilet and washroom are fitted into the lean-to.
Why It Was Registered
The Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House was registered for contributing to the historic landscape, under number 40-0230. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out its thatched roof layered with cedar bark, a local form that helps shape the historic look of the settlement. When the registration was recommended, Ukiha City noted that it would bring the number of registered buildings in Fukuoka Prefecture to 222.
Visiting the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House
The Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House is a private home where the Yoshimura family still lives, and no public openings were announced as of October 2026. The grounds cannot be entered and there is no official guidance on photography. If you look at the bark roof from the village road, please respect the residents' privacy.
Tagomori lies in the hills up the Kumanoue River from central Ukiha, with no railway. The nearest station is Ukiha on the JR Kyudai Line, and from there a car is the practical way to continue. Local bus services change, so check Ukiha City's transport information before you go.
Q&A
- Why does the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House carry two family names?
- It was built in the early Showa period for a branch of the Dairiki family. After several changes of owner it became the home of the Yoshimura family.
- What is special about the roof of the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House?
- Its hipped thatched roof is covered with layers of cedar bark, with a tiled lean-to around the base. Bark roofs have become rare in the area.
- When was the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House registered?
- On 3 December 2024, as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property under number 40-0230, for contributing to the historic landscape.
- How is the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House laid out?
- An earth-floored work area runs along the south side, and four rooms sit in a two-by-two grid to the north: tatami guest rooms at the front and wooden-floored living rooms behind.
- Can I visit the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House?
- No. It is a private residence, and no public openings were announced as of October 2026.
Basic Information
| Name | Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House (吉村家住宅（旧大力家住宅）主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 40-1 Aza-Yamaguchi, Tagomori, Ukiha-machi, Ukiha City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2024 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 114㎡ (wooden, single-storey) |
| Owner | Private (the Yoshimura family) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00015265
- Ukiha City: Registration of the Yoshimura Family Residence (Former Dairiki Family Residence) Main House (Japanese)
- https://www.city.ukiha.fukuoka.jp/kiji0037698/index.html
- Ukiha City press release (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.ukiha.fukuoka.jp/kiji0037698/3_7698_7900_up_kilajl8p.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.30