About the Ogino Family Residence Main House
The Ogino Family Residence Main House (荻野家住宅主屋, Ogino-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is a two-story timber house of about 1924 facing east onto a branch route of the old Nakasendo highway in Shimonita, Gunma Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 7, 2009. With a building area of 60 square meters, it is younger than the late-Meiji shop storehouse that shares the street front.
The Ogino property is a long, narrow strip running back from the street, and the main house sits at its eastern end. Its tiled roof is in the Irimoya-zukuri hip-and-gable form, laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles, and it turns its gable end toward the street (Tsumairi). Look along the roof slopes and you will see a slight upward swell, the curve Japanese carpenters call mukuri.
Inside the Ogino Family Residence Main House
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, each floor of the Ogino Family Residence Main House is divided into two rooms. Downstairs are living rooms, among them a butsuma for the family Buddhist altar. Upstairs is a reception room fitted with a Tokonoma alcove and shelves. On a small footprint, the family lived below and received guests above.
The south side, toward the garden, is treated openly. The brick firewall is built hard against the north side of the house, so the building is closed toward fire on one side and open to light on the other. The Agency describes the Ogino Family Residence Main House as a light, airy example of modern Japanese-style domestic architecture.
Why It Was Registered
The house carries registration number 10-0270 and was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. Its curved gable faces the street beside the shop storehouse, which runs its ridge parallel to the road, and the two together form the Ogino family's frontage.
At the front of the house, the end of the firewall rises a step higher and takes on the look of an Udatsu fire wing. Seen together, the gable and the raised wall show how the household chose to present itself to the street.
Visiting the Ogino Family Residence Main House
The Ogino Family Residence Main House is a private home and is not open to the public, so the upstairs reception room and the butsuma cannot be seen.
From the street you can probably see the gable end with its curved roof and the firewall alongside it. The garden side to the south lies inside the property, and we have not confirmed whether it can be seen from the road. Please stay off the grounds and take photos only from the public road.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gunma
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ogino Family Residence Main House
- [ Kusatsu Onsen & Tomioka Silk Mill Heritage Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Ogino Family Residence Main House built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to about 1924.
- What is distinctive about the roof of the Ogino Family Residence Main House?
- It is a hip-and-gable roof of pantiles with the gable end facing the street, and its slopes have a slight upward curve known as mukuri.
- How is the Ogino Family Residence Main House laid out inside?
- Each floor has two rooms: living rooms including a Buddhist altar room downstairs, and a reception room with an alcove and shelves upstairs.
- Why is the Ogino Family Residence Main House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on August 7, 2009, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Can I visit the Ogino Family Residence Main House?
- No. It is a private home that is not open to the public, so it can only be seen from the street.
Basic Information
| Name | Ogino Family Residence Main House |
|---|---|
| Location | 334 Nishi-ko, Nakamachi, Oaza Shimonita, Shimonita Town, Kanra District, Gunma Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/8/7 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 60 square meters |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency's database (private residence) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior from the street only) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ogino Family Residence Main House (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007722
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shimonita Town, Gunma (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/region/10/10382
Last verified: 2026.10.07
