Ogai Family Residence

Ogai Family Residence (Minamisoma)

The Ogai Family Residence (大谷家住宅) in Kashimaku Tochikubo, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, is the house of the Ogai family, whose late Meiji east storehouse and early Showa middle storehouse and gate were registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on August 1, 2016 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The house lies on the salt road that linked the Rikuzen-hama Kaido and the Oshu Kaido, and its two storehouses lined up along the street show that it was a hub for the movement of goods (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Three Properties

The east storehouse is a rice store facing south onto the salt road, with a swirl-patterned band at the top of the walls, namako tiling at the base and, on the road-side gable, a window decorated with a plant motif and the family's water-wheel crest in plaster relief. The middle storehouse to its west held sake and soy sauce; it is half a bay longer but follows a similar design (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The gate between them is a koraimon-type gate 2.6 metres wide, with glazed tiles and ridge-end tiles bearing the character 大 with shachi ornaments, a small gate of weighty presence (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Each property is described on its own page.

Visiting

No official information on public access was found.