A Post-Town House at Okute on the Nakasendo
The Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House (森川善章家住宅主屋) is a two-storey timber house of 1893 at Okute-juku on the old Nakasendo in Okute-cho, Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 3, 2006. It served both as a lodging and as a freight agent's house (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a two-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 145 square metres; registration number 21-0093, owned by Mizunami City.
Okute-juku and the "New Mori" House
According to Mizunami City, Okute-juku was the 47th post town on the Nakasendo from Edo and the 23rd from Kyoto, formally established in 1604. After the post-station system was abolished in 1872, the Nakasendo remained a trunk road between Tokyo and Kyoto for some time, and Okute continued as a base for moving goods.
The Morikawa Yoshiaki family was a newer branch of the Morikawa clan, known as "Shinmori" (New Mori), and its house is said to have served as an inn. This main house was built in 1893, at a time of great change for the post town (Mizunami City).
Why It Was Registered
The Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that its tall build shows modern tendencies but that it preserves the streetscape of the old highway well.
Mizunami City adds that, although the kitchen and bath have been altered, it shows the townscape and daily life of modern Okute-juku.
What to Look For
The Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House stands near the middle of the old post town, facing north onto the highway. It is gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) with pantiles and its entrance on the long side, with lean-tos on the front and both sides (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Mizunami City).
The ground floor has living rooms in two rows of three and an earth-floored area, and the upper floor is divided into six rooms (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Its lattice windows preserve the post-town look (Mizunami City); from the road the lattice front shows a house that doubled as an inn.
Visiting the Morikawa Yoshiaki House
We found no official information on interior access to the Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House. The exterior can be seen from the old Nakasendo. It is about 25 minutes by car from the Mizunami Interchange on the Chuo Expressway, or about 10 minutes by car from JR Kamado Station on the Chuo Line (Gifu Visitors Bureau). The address is 463-1 Okute-cho, Mizunami City.
Q&A
- When was the Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House built?
- In 1893 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What was the Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House used for?
- It served as an inn and freight agent's house at Okute-juku, and the family was known as Shinmori (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Mizunami City).
- What is the layout of the Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House?
- Two rows of three rooms with an earth floor below, and six rooms upstairs (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House registered?
- On August 3, 2006.
- Can you visit the Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House?
- There is no official information on interior access; the exterior can be seen from the old Nakasendo.
Basic Information
| Name | Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House (森川善章家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 463-1 Okute-cho, Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/8/3 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 145 square metres |
| Owner | Mizunami City |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable from the street (no official information on interior access) |
References
- Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00005606
- Morikawa Yoshiaki Family Residence Main House (Mizunami City)
- https://www.city.mizunami.lg.jp/kankou_bunka/bunkazai/1001296/1002388.html
- Nakasendo Okute-juku (Gifu Visitors Bureau)
- https://www.kankou-gifu.jp/spot/detail_7366.html
Last verified: 2026.10.07