A Missionary's Summer House of 1926
The Former Jorgensen House (旧ジョルゲンセン邸) is a summer villa built in 1926 in Karuizawa, Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 27, 2018 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey timber building with a metal roof and a building area of 75 square metres; registration number 20-522.
A Summer House for a Missionary Family
The Former Jorgensen House was owned by Jorgensen, an American missionary (Agency for Cultural Affairs). At 75 square metres it is a modest two-storey cottage, with a shared family room downstairs and bedrooms above, the plain layout of a mountain summer house.
Why It Was Registered
The Former Jorgensen House was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. It preserves, little changed since the Taisho era, one piece of the Karuizawa scene of villas built for foreign residents.
What to Look For
The main block is a two-storey timber house with a gabled (kirizuma) roof; a projecting wing with a hipped (yosemune) roof holds the entrance, which doubles as a sunroom (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The heart of the ground floor is a combined dining and living room with a fireplace of stacked stone. Upstairs are bedrooms, where the original fittings survive well.
The walls are clad in overlapping horizontal boards, with windows on every side for an open feel (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Looking at the Former Jorgensen House from outside, note how the hipped wing meets the gabled main roof, and how many windows there are.
Visiting
The Former Jorgensen House is owned by Kyoei Kosan Co., Ltd. (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on public access was found, so please do not enter the grounds and ask the owner about visits. The address is 902-9 Oaza Karuizawa, Karuizawa Town (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Q&A
- When was the Former Jorgensen House built?
- In 1926 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Who owned the Former Jorgensen House?
- Jorgensen, an American missionary, used it as a summer villa (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What are the features of the Former Jorgensen House?
- A gabled two-storey timber house with a hipped entrance wing doubling as a sunroom, and a stone fireplace in the dining and living room.
- Can I visit the Former Jorgensen House?
- No official information on public access was found; the owner is Kyoei Kosan Co., Ltd.
- When was it registered?
- On March 27, 2018 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Jorgensen House (旧ジョルゲンセン邸) |
|---|---|
| Location | 902-9 Oaza Karuizawa, Karuizawa Town, Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/03/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, two storeys, metal roof, building area 75 square metres |
| Owner | Kyoei Kosan Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | No public access information |
References
- Former Jorgensen House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012151
Last verified: 2026.10.14