A Thatched Silk Farmhouse in Nakanojo
The Tomizawa Family Residence (富沢家住宅) is a thatched silk-farming house of around 1792 in Daido, Nakanojo Town, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on June 17, 1970. Locally the name is also written with a variant character as 冨沢 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Nakanojo Tourism Association).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as 24.1 metres by 12.9 metres, two storeys, hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) and thatched. It is owned by Nakanojo Town.
The Headman's House of Daido
According to the Nakanojo Tourism Association, Daido was a village founded on newly cultivated land in the Edo period, and the Tomizawa family served as its headman. The house stands on a branch road of the Mikuni Kaido, and goods such as rice from Echigo were unloaded here before being carried throughout Agatsuma.
With the front of its roof in the kabuto (helmet) style, it is considered a representative large silk-farming house (Nakanojo Tourism Association).
Why It Was Designated
The Tomizawa Family Residence was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1970. The Agency for Cultural Affairs presents it as the representative thatched silk farmhouse, in contrast to the board-roofed Kurosawa house, and praises the beauty of its front roof cut up to light the upper floor.
What to Look For
The Tomizawa Family Residence is a two-storey thatched hip-and-gable house whose front roof is cut up to bring light into the upper floor (Agency for Cultural Affairs), the signature of a farmhouse with an upper floor for silkworms.
Inside is a wide earth-floored area where several horses were once kept (Agency for Cultural Affairs), fitting a headman's house that handled goods from the highway.
Visiting the Tomizawa Family Residence
According to the Nakanojo Tourism Association, the Tomizawa Family Residence is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The address is 1274 Daido, Nakanojo Town. Check closing days and admission with the tourism association.
Q&A
- When was the Tomizawa Family Residence built?
- Around 1792 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Who were the Tomizawa family?
- Headmen of Daido village, whose house was a depot for goods such as Echigo rice (Nakanojo Tourism Association).
- What does the Tomizawa Family Residence look like?
- A thatched hip-and-gable house with the front roof cut up to light the upper floor (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can you visit the Tomizawa Family Residence?
- Yes, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Nakanojo Tourism Association).
- When was the Tomizawa Family Residence designated?
- On June 17, 1970.
Basic Information
| Name | Tomizawa Family Residence (Nakanojo, Gunma) (富沢家住宅) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1274 Daido, Nakanojo Town, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1970/6/17 (Showa 45) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 24.1 metres by 12.9 metres, 2 storeys, irimoya roof, thatched |
| Owner | Nakanojo Town |
| Public Access | Open (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) |
References
- Tomizawa Family Residence (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/423
- Tomizawa Family Residence (Nakanojo Tourism Association)
- https://nakanojo-kanko.jp/spots/%E5%86%A8%E6%B2%A2%E5%AE%B6%E4%BD%8F%E5%AE%85/
Last verified: 2026.10.07