About the Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House
The Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House (小茂田家住宅蚕室, Komoda-ke Jūtaku Kaikoshitsu) is a sericulture building erected in 1917 on the Komoda family's homestead in Naganuma-machi, Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture, and it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 17, 2004. It stands beside the gate in the southeast corner of the plot with its ridge running north to south: a two-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a footprint of 141 square meters.
The building measures 10 ken by 2.5 ken. It matches the main house in length but is only half as wide, which gives it a long, narrow profile. The Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof is laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles, and a Geya lean-to 1.5 ken wide is set against the front. Built some forty years after the early Meiji main house, it gave the family a space for silkworms outside the main house.
A Half-Sunken Egg Store
The most distinctive feature of the Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House is its south end, which is sunk half below ground to form a store for silkworm eggs. A family that produced eggs for sale had to keep them in good condition until the next rearing season. A half-buried room generally changes temperature far less than one above ground, which suits eggs waiting for the season to turn.
As its name says, the rest of the two-storey building was for raising silkworms. Rearing space and egg storage were thus gathered under one roof, and the long, narrow plan shows how a farm whose trade was silkworm eggs organised its work.
Why It Was Registered and What to Look For
The silkworm rearing house was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as one of the structures that trace how silkworm-egg and sericulture farms developed. The Meiji main house already used its upper floor as a silkworm room; the addition of a dedicated building in the Taisho era is written into the layout of the homestead.
Look for the combination of the long two-storey gable and the lean-to along its front. The lean-to forms a second, lower line of eaves at the foot of the 10-ken wall and stretches the building visually. Set beside the main house, the two buildings share the same 10-ken length, and the difference in width is easy to read.
Visiting the Silkworm Rearing House
The Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House is privately owned and its interior is not open to the public. Gunma Prefecture's guide limits viewing of the Komoda Family Residence to the exterior, so the half-sunken egg store cannot be seen.
The silkworm rearing house stands beside the gate. Please stay off the grounds and take photographs only from public ground. The history of the homestead and directions are on the Komoda Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House built?
- It was built in 1917 and became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 17, 2004.
- What was the half-sunken room in the Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House for?
- It was a store for silkworm eggs, made by sinking the south end of the building half below ground.
- How large is the Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House?
- It is a gabled two-storey building measuring 10 by 2.5 ken, with a footprint of 141 square meters and a lean-to 1.5 ken wide along the front.
- Where does the Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House stand on the property?
- It stands beside the gate in the southeast part of the plot, southeast of the main house, with its ridge running north to south.
- Can I visit the Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House?
- Not inside. It is privately owned, and viewing is limited to the exterior from the public road.
Basic Information
| Name | Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House |
|---|---|
| Location | 2631 Naganuma-machi, Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered February 17, 2004 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 141 square meters; 10 ken by 2.5 ken |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior viewing only) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003805
- Cultural Heritage Online: Komoda Family Residence Silkworm Rearing House
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/150415
- Isesaki City: Komoda Family Residence (Japanese)
- https://www.city.isesaki.lg.jp/soshiki/kyoikubu/hogo/bunkazaihogo/shitei/toroku/2399.html
- Gunma Silk Heritage Database: Komoda Family Residence (Gunma Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://worldheritage.pref.gunma.jp/kinuisan/db-dtl.php?data=24
Last verified: 2026.10.03
