A Six-Mat Tea Room in the Northwest Corner
The Isaji Family Residence Tea House (伊佐治家住宅茶室, Isaji-ke Jūtaku Chashitsu) is a late Edo-period Chashitsu in Furuyashiki, Mitake Town, Gifu Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on May 10, 2018. Single-storey and tile-roofed, with a building area of 14 square metres, it is the smallest of the five registered buildings on the estate.
It stands alone in the northwest corner of the plot, its ridge running east-west. The plan is a square, 3.7 metres by 3.7 metres, under a simple gabled roof, well apart from the main house and the reception wing.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs assigns it to the closing decades of the Edo period and gives a date range of 1830 to 1868. No published source pins down the year of construction.
A Building Registered for Its Setting
The Isaji Family Residence Tea House was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The citation is less about the building as a standalone design than about what it adds: a neat tea room tucked into one corner lends atmosphere to the whole estate.
An estate that already had formal guest rooms and a garden also found room for a separate tea house. For a family that served a bannerman house as steward and intendant, receiving visitors properly clearly mattered, and this small building makes the point.
Sukiya Details at Small Scale
Outside, the walls are Shinkabe, with the posts left visible in the wall face. The rafters under the eaves are slender round poles rather than squared timbers, which softens the shadows under the roof and makes a small building look lighter still.
Inside is a single six-mat room with a Tokonoma alcove and a storage cupboard on the east side. The alcove post, the Tokobashira, is a shibori maruta, a cedar log whose surface is ridged with fine vertical wrinkles and long prized for tea rooms. The alcove sill is black lacquer, and the walls are finished in asagi, a pale blue-green.
Glossy black against soft blue-green: that pairing sets the tone of the room. At six mats the space falls on the roomy side for a tea room, large enough for a small tea gathering or a relaxed get-together alike.
Visiting
The Isaji Family Residence Tea House stands within a private estate and is not open to the public. Although it occupies the northwest corner, it lies inside the gate, and it is not known if any part of it is visible from outside. Seeing the tea room would require a visit arranged with the family or an occasion when the estate is opened for an event. Directions and general visiting conditions are covered on the Isaji Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When was the Isaji Family Residence Tea House built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period, with a range of 1830 to 1868. The exact year is not known from published sources.
- How big is the Isaji Family Residence Tea House?
- It is a single-storey tiled building with a building area of 14 square metres. Its square plan, 3.7 metres by 3.7 metres, holds one six-mat room.
- What materials were used for the alcove in the Isaji Family Residence Tea House?
- The alcove post is a shibori maruta cedar log with a wrinkled surface, and the alcove sill is black lacquer. The walls are finished in pale blue-green asagi.
- Why is the Isaji Family Residence Tea House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on May 10, 2018, for its contribution to the historic landscape. The citation values it as a neat tea room that gives character to the estate as a whole.
- Can visitors see the Isaji Family Residence Tea House?
- It stands inside a private estate and is not open to the public. As of September 2026 no regular opening had been announced; inquiries can be made through the family's website.
Basic Information
| Name | Isaji Family Residence Tea House |
|---|---|
| Location | 381 Daioji, Furuyashiki, Mitake-cho, Kani-gun, Gifu Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/5/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single-storey, tiled roof, building area 14 square metres, 3.7 metres by 3.7 metres |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | No regular public access (private residence) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Isaji Family Residence Tea House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012368
- Gifu Prefecture: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures)
- https://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/page/12417.html
- Isaji Family Residence (family website)
- https://isaji-yashiki.jimdofree.com/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
