A Landowner's House of 1917
The Ota Family Residence Main House (太田家住宅主屋) is a landowner's house of 1917 in Shidazawa, Haramachi Ward, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on November 2, 2018 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). In Japanese it is written 太田家住宅主屋 and read Ōta-ke jūtaku shuoku.
The Agency records a timber building of 2 storeys with a single-storey section, roofed in tile, with a building area of 259 square metres; registration number 07-0198.
According to Minamisoma City, the Ota Family Residence Main House was built by Ota Akinosuke, a politician and businessman. The Agency records later alterations around 1948, around 1970 and in 2007.
Two Different Roof Ends
The Ota Family Residence Main House stands in the middle of the plot facing south. It is two storeys high, and its roof is finished differently at each end: half-hipped at the east end and hip-and-gable at the west (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
A single-storey kitchen wing with a gabled roof is attached on the east side, and that wing has its own entrance (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The house is thus a two-storey living block joined to a low service wing.
Why It Was Registered
The Ota Family Residence Main House was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency describes it as an imposing house that adds modern elements to a traditional form.
Minamisoma City calls it a typical modern farmhouse planned with guests in mind, noting that circulation between the rooms was carefully worked out.
What to Look For
The eaves are the first thing to look at on the Ota Family Residence Main House. They are built in the Degeta-zukuri manner, carried on projecting beams, and at the corners the rafters are splayed out like the ribs of a fan (Agency for Cultural Affairs), a detail the Agency singles out as careful work.
Minamisoma City also mentions the thought that went into the eaves. Together with the contrast between the half-hipped east end and the hip-and-gable west end, they give the house a different look from each side.
Visiting
The Ota Family Residence Main House is privately owned and is not open to the public, inside or out, and there is no official guidance on photography. Directions to the property and general conditions are on the Ota Family Residence (Minamisoma) page.
Q&A
- When was the Ota Family Residence Main House built, and by whom?
- In 1917, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Minamisoma City names the builder as Ota Akinosuke, a politician and businessman.
- What kind of roof does the Ota Family Residence Main House have?
- The two-storey block is half-hipped at the east end and hip-and-gable at the west end, with a gabled single-storey kitchen wing attached on the east side.
- What is special about the eaves of the Ota Family Residence Main House?
- They rest on projecting beams, and the corner rafters are splayed like a fan.
- Can I visit the Ota Family Residence Main House?
- No. It is a private house and is not open to the public.
- When was the Ota Family Residence Main House registered?
- On November 2, 2018 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Ota Family Residence Main House (太田家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 12 Shidazawa, Haramachi Ward, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/11/02 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 2 storeys with a single-storey section, tiled roof, building area 259 m² |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Ota Family Residence Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012483
- Ota Family Residence Main House (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/402558
- Cultural Heritage of Minamisoma: Heritage of Modern Development (Minamisoma City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.minamisoma.lg.jp/material/files/group/43/kindai.pdf
Last verified: 2026.11.02
