About the Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building
The Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building (旅館かみなか本館) is a two-storey wooden inn of the mid-Meiji period in Hanaoka-cho, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 23, 2012. The inn dates it to 1888, and it is still the main building of a working ryokan (Ryokan Kaminaka).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a two-storey wooden building with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 398 square metres, dated to the mid-Meiji period (1883 to 1897) and renovated in 1958. No owner is listed.
Why It Was Registered
The Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes the care lavished on its interior fittings and says it conveys the bustle of its heyday.
What to Look For
The Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building faces west onto the street under a combination of gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) and hipped (Yosemune-zukuri) sheet-iron roofs. A cusped karahafu canopy with pantiles shelters the central entrance (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Projecting lattice windows run around both floors, giving it an elegant face (Agency for Cultural Affairs). From the street, the curved canopy and the rows of lattice on both levels define the front. The inn notes playful carvings throughout the interior (Ryokan Kaminaka).
Visiting the Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building
The Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building is part of a working inn, so its interior is seen by staying there; the exterior can be seen from the street. Booking and directions are on the Ryokan Kaminaka page.
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Q&A
- When was the Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs says mid-Meiji; the inn gives 1888. It was renovated in 1958.
- What does the Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building look like?
- A karahafu canopy over the central entrance and projecting lattice windows on both floors (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building registered?
- On February 23, 2012.
- How big is the Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building?
- Two storeys, with a building area of 398 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can you visit the Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building?
- It is a working inn, so the interior is for guests; the exterior can be seen from the street.
Basic Information
| Name | Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building (旅館かみなか本館) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-5-4 Hanaoka-cho, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2012/2/23 (Heisei 24) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, 2 storeys, sheet-iron roof, building area 398 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the national record |
| Public Access | Operating as an inn (exterior viewable from the street) |
References
- Ryokan Kaminaka Main Building (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009169
- Ryokan Kaminaka (official website)
- https://www.kaminaka.info/
Last verified: 2026.10.06