The Shimada Family Residence Main House
The Shimada Family Residence Main House (島田家住宅主屋, Shimada-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is a single-storey timber house of 1953 in Tomoecho 1-chome, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 29, 2006; its registration number is 10-0207.
It adjoins the north side of the Shimada Shoten store, on the east side of the lot (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Kiryu City). It runs along the east street but faces west onto the courtyard. Kiryu City says the family residence survives much as it was built.
An L-Shaped House Facing the Courtyard
The Shimada Family Residence Main House is L-shaped in plan, with a hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) roof of pantiles (Sangawara-buki). On the courtyard side to the west, an entrance with its own hip-and-gable roof projects forward (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Inside, a 10-mat reception room and a 6-mat anteroom have a veranda along their west side, and there is also a Western-style room and a kitchen (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The outer walls are of the shinkabe type, with the posts left exposed, and finished in white Shikkui plaster.
Why It Was Registered
The Shimada Family Residence Main House was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency singles out its white plastered walls as the main element of the streetscape on the east side. It is the home half of a lot that put the shop at the front and the family behind.
What to Look For
From the east street, the white walls of the Shimada Family Residence Main House continue north from the corner of the store, the exposed posts dividing the plaster into regular bays.
The entrance and the veranda face the courtyard to the west, with the middle gate before the entrance. The house shows the street a wall and keeps its formal face for the private courtyard.
Visiting
The Shimada Family Residence Main House is a private home and there is no information on interior access. From the east street you see its long wall; the courtyard and entrance lie inside the lot, so do not enter.
Q&A
- When was the Shimada Family Residence Main House built?
- In 1953 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is the layout of the Shimada Family Residence Main House?
- A 10-mat reception room and a 6-mat anteroom with a veranda on the west, plus a Western-style room and a kitchen (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What does the Shimada Family Residence Main House look like?
- An L-shaped house with a hip-and-gable pantile roof and white plastered walls with exposed posts, and a projecting entrance on the courtyard side.
- Can I visit the Shimada Family Residence Main House?
- It is a private home with no interior access; its white walls can be seen from the east street.
- When was the Shimada Family Residence Main House registered?
- On November 29, 2006 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Shimada Family Residence Main House (島田家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-1121-8 Tomoecho, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/11/29 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single-storey, tile roof, building area 91 m² |
| Owner | Unknown (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | No interior access; walls visible from the east street |
References
- Shimada Family Residence Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00006024
- Shimada Family Residence Main House (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/197019
- Shimada Shoten and Shimada Family Residence, 7 buildings (Kiryu City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/bunkazai/1010700/kunitouroku/1008501.html
Last verified: 2026.11.01
