About the Komoda Family Residence Well House
The Komoda Family Residence Well House (小茂田家住宅井戸屋, Komoda-ke Jūtaku Idoya) is an early Meiji-period shelter over the well of 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 north of the main house: a single-storey timber structure with a sheet-iron roof and a footprint of 9.8 square meters.
It measures 2 ken by 1.5 ken. This is more than a roof thrown over a well. The Komoda Family Residence Well House sits on a stone-built platform and gathers both the well and a washing place under one roof, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs specifically notes that it is large for a well house.
A Well and a Washing Place on a Stone Platform
The base of the Komoda Family Residence Well House is a platform of piled stone. Along its east edge runs a ramp, so the platform is reached by a gentle slope rather than steps.
On the platform, the well curb (idogawa) is set a little west of centre, and the washing place a little north of centre. Drawing water and washing with it happened side by side under the same roof, so the household's water work was concentrated in this one small building.
Splayed Posts and a Hipped Roof
The posts of the Komoda well house are set in the shihō-korobi manner: rather than standing plumb, each leans inward toward the top from all four sides, giving the frame a braced, planted stance. On them rests a Yosemune-zukuri hipped roof.
The well house was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it indispensable to the layout of a silkworm-egg and sericulture farmstead. Together with the main house, silkworm rearing house and storehouse, it completes a homestead in which daily life and the family trade sat side by side.
Visiting the Well House
The Komoda Family Residence Well House is privately owned and is not open to the public. Gunma Prefecture's guide limits viewing of the Komoda Family Residence to the exterior.
The well house stands north of the main house, toward the back of the plot. 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
- What is the Komoda Family Residence Well House?
- It is a shelter that brings a well and a washing place together on a stone platform, with splayed posts carrying a hipped roof. It stands north of the main house.
- When was the Komoda Family Residence Well House built?
- It dates from the early Meiji period and became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 17, 2004.
- What does shihō-korobi mean at the Komoda Family Residence Well House?
- It is a way of setting posts so that they lean inward toward the top on all four sides. The posts spread at the foot, which gives the structure a stable stance.
- How large is the Komoda Family Residence Well House?
- It is a single-storey structure measuring 2 by 1.5 ken, with a footprint of 9.8 square meters, which the Agency for Cultural Affairs considers large for a well house.
- Can I visit the Komoda Family Residence Well House?
- No. It is privately owned and not open to the public; the Komoda Family Residence can only be viewed from outside, from the public road.
Basic Information
| Name | Komoda Family Residence Well 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 9.8 square meters; 2 ken by 1.5 ken |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior viewing only) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Komoda Family Residence Well House (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003807
- Cultural Heritage Online: Komoda Family Residence Well House
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/116887
- 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
