A Large Townhouse at the Edge of Magome
The Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House (清水屋原家住宅主屋) is a large post-town townhouse of the late Meiji era (1898 to 1912) in Magome, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 29, 2013 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a 2-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 182 square metres, renovated in 1970; registration number 21-0205.
A Big Townhouse at the South-West End of Magome
The Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House stands at the south-west end of Magome, a post town on the Nakasendo highway (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Its frontage is 13.9 metres, and the Agency describes it as a large townhouse of the post town.
It is a 2-storey timber building with a gabled roof of pantiles and eaves projecting at front and back (Agency for Cultural Affairs). At its rear it joins the storehouse that was registered on the same day.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape. Its description notes the 13.9-metre front and the heavy exposed beams within, and sums the building up as a large townhouse of the post town; it shapes the streetscape at the south-west end of Magome, where houses line the stone-paved slope.
A Boarded Hall under Heavy Beams
Inside, a boarded room with a massive framework of exposed beams sits at the centre, with tatami rooms arranged around it (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The house was built in the late Meiji era, between 1898 and 1912, and renovated in 1970 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
What to Look For
On the street front, the shop section to the right and the upper floor carry projecting lattices (Degōshi), while the rest is finished in white lime plaster or clapboard (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Stand across the road to take in lattice, plaster and boarding side by side; the 13.9-metre frontage is clearest when compared with the houses on either side.
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Indoors, the thing to look for is the beamwork over the boarded central room, the feature the Agency singles out as massive.
Visiting
The exterior can be seen from the highway at any time. According to the Magome Tourist Association, the upper floor of the Shimizuya is open to the public as the Shimizuya Museum, with an admission charge. Opening hours and fees are given on the page for the Shimizuya Hara Family Residence as a whole.
No official guidance on photography inside was found, so ask at the reception.
Q&A
- When was the Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House built?
- In the late Meiji era, between 1898 and 1912, and it was renovated in 1970 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is the Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House?
- At the south-west end of Magome, a post town on the Nakasendo in Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture.
- What should I look for at the Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House?
- The projecting lattices on the shop front and upper floor, the plastered and clapboarded front, and the heavy beams over the central boarded room.
- Can I visit the Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House?
- The exterior is visible from the street, and according to the Magome Tourist Association the upper floor is open as the Shimizuya Museum for a fee.
- When was the Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House registered?
- On March 29, 2013 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House (清水屋原家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4284 Magome, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/03/29 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey timber, tiled roof, 182 m², 13.9 m frontage |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | Exterior from the street; open as the Shimizuya Museum (admission charged) |
References
- Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009456
- Shimizuya Hara Family Residence Main House (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/284259
- Shimizuya Museum (Magome Tourist Association, Japanese)
- https://kiso-magome.com/spots/43
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures) (Gifu Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/kyoiku/bunka/bunkazai/17768/index_61057.html
Last verified: 2026.10.28
