A narrow wing for water
The Kojima Family Residence Annex (小島家住宅附属屋, Kojima-ke Jūtaku Fuzokuya) in Narukiyocho, Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture, is an early Showa single-storey timber wing that holds the well, washing area, bath and toilet of the Kojima household in a single row; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 28, 2010 (number 21-0185).
The Kojima Family Residence Annex runs north to south from the eastern end of the main house’s south front. It measures 9.7 metres by 2.3 metres, with a building area of 22 square metres: small, but everything to do with water is gathered here.
Well, bath and toilet in a line
The south end holds the well and washing area, the north end the toilet, with the bath in between. In a wing only 2.3 metres wide, the sequence runs in order from where water was drawn to where it was used.
The roof is a gabled pantile roof, with the ridge stepped down over the northern half. The step breaks up what would otherwise be a long, plain roofline.
White plaster and tile
The walls are white Shikkui plaster in the Shinkabe manner, with the posts left visible, and wooden Koshiita boarding along the base outside. Inside, tiles and similar finishes line the walls, as suits a room that is always wet. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Kojima annex as light and airy in design.
Gathering the well, bath and toilet into one wing attached to the main house hints at how sanitary facilities were being organised in homes of the early Showa era.
Visiting
The Kojima Family Residence Annex lies inside the compound and is not open. It is probably not visible from the road either.
How the property fits together, what can be seen from outside and how to get there are covered on the Kojima Family Residence (Narukiyo, Kakamigahara) page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Kojima Family Residence Annex?
- In the Kojima compound in Narukiyocho, Kakamigahara City, running north to south from the eastern end of the main house’s south front.
- When was the Kojima Family Residence Annex registered as a cultural property?
- On April 28, 2010, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 21-0185.
- What is inside the Kojima Family Residence Annex?
- A well and washing area at the south end, a toilet toward the north, and a bath between them.
- How big is the Kojima Family Residence Annex?
- It is a single-storey timber wing 9.7 metres by 2.3 metres, with a building area of 22 square metres.
- Can visitors see the Kojima Family Residence Annex?
- No. It is inside the private compound and probably cannot be seen from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Kojima Family Residence Annex (小島家住宅附属屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-76-2 Narukiyocho, Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 21-0185 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/04/28 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled roof; building area 22 square metres; 9.7 metres by 2.3 metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | No public opening announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kojima Family Residence Annex
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008120
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kojima Family Residence Annex
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/167298
- Kakamigahara City official website — Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (list of registered structures)
- https://www.city.kakamigahara.lg.jp/kankobunka/bunkazai/1005182.html
- Gifu Prefecture official website (Cultural Heritage Division) — Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (structures)
- https://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/page/12417.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
