Koishiki Main House: Three Building Phases Behind One Street Front
Koishiki Main House (恋しき主屋, Koishiki shuoku) is the street-front building of a former ryotei inn on the old Sekishu Kaido in Fuchu-cho, Fuchu City, Hiroshima Prefecture; built in the early Meiji period and enlarged in 1905 and 1912, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2004.
It is a timber building of two storeys with a partial third storey under a tiled roof, covering 347 square meters. That makes it by far the largest of the five registered buildings at Koishiki, and the only one that faces the street. Guests arrived here, banquets were held here, and anyone heading for the garden annexes passed through it first.
Koishiki Main House reads as a single building, but it is really three campaigns stacked together. The two-storey range along the street, with a gabled roof and its entrance on the long side, is the early Meiji core. The three-storey guest wing that runs deep into the lot behind it was added in 1905 and 1912, and the small third storey perched in the middle of the facade, like a lookout, was also a later addition.
Why Koishiki Main House Was Registered
Japan's registration system uses three criteria, and Koishiki Main House was registered under the one for buildings that contribute to the historic landscape of the country. In other words, the case rests less on age or rare techniques than on what the building does for the street it stands on.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs summary makes the point directly. The lattices and railings keep traditional detailing, while the successive additions have produced a lively, irregular outline that makes the building a landmark in the streetscape. A single lookout storey poking up above a two-storey roofline is exactly the kind of feature that gives a post-town street its character.
The registration date is November 8, 2004, under register number 34-0067. The four annexes behind Koishiki Main House were registered the same day, but under a different criterion, as buildings that set a standard for design. Koishiki Main House is the only one of the five recognized for its contribution to the townscape.
What to Look for at Koishiki Main House
The street facade
Start across the road. The two-storey front stretches along the street with its ridge running parallel to it, and from the middle of that roof rises one small extra storey. Its lookout-tower form is the most recognisable part of Koishiki Main House, and it was not part of the original building.
Step closer and look at the lattice screens on both floors and the slender balustrade on the second storey. However much the building grew behind, the face it shows the street keeps the fine, regular rhythm of a traditional townhouse.
The guest wing from the garden
Once you have walked through the house into the garden, turn round. The three-storey guest wing, almost invisible from the street, towers over the garden as it runs back into the lot. The 1905 and 1912 additions were about fitting in more guest rooms, and the contrast between the modest street front and the tall garden side shows how the business expanded.
The upstairs banquet hall
Among the rooms open to visitors, the second-floor banquet hall is the largest space in Koishiki Main House, with room for about 50 people. It still hosts lectures and meetings today.
Visiting Koishiki Main House
The first and second floors of Koishiki Main House are open to the public free of charge, though a few rooms are closed and the third floor is off limits. You can see the third floor in the 3D walkthrough published by the Fuchu City Tourism Association.
The banquet hall and the ground-floor rooms are rented out by the hour, so they may be closed while booked. If seeing the banquet hall matters to you, call Koishiki (0847-41-5140) ahead to check.
For a photograph that takes in the whole facade, including the third-storey lookout, the far side of the street works best. The city's notices say nothing about indoor photography, so ask at reception. Opening days and directions to the site are covered on the Koishiki page.
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Q&A
- When was Koishiki Main House built?
- The two-storey street range of Koishiki Main House dates from the early Meiji period. The three-storey guest wing behind it was added in 1905 and 1912, and the small third storey on the facade is also a later addition.
- Can I go inside Koishiki Main House, and is there an entrance fee?
- Yes. The first and second floors of Koishiki Main House are open (some rooms excepted), admission is free, and hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Can visitors go up to the third floor of Koishiki Main House?
- No. The third floor of Koishiki Main House is not open, but the Fuchu City Tourism Association's 3D walkthrough shows it.
- Why is Koishiki Main House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- Koishiki Main House was registered in 2004 as a building that contributes to the historic landscape. It keeps traditional lattices and railings, and its enlarged, irregular outline makes it a landmark on the old post-town street.
- Can the banquet hall at Koishiki Main House be rented?
- Yes. The second-floor banquet hall of Koishiki Main House holds about 50 people and, according to Fuchu City, costs 22,000 yen per day or 2,750 yen per hour including tax.
Basic Information
| Name | Koishiki Main House |
|---|---|
| Location | 564-1 Yokomachi and 181-1 Nagai, Fuchu-cho, Fuchu City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered November 8, 2004 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, 2 storeys with a partial 3rd storey, tiled roof, building area 347 square meters |
| Owner | Koishiki Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | 1st and 2nd floors open (some rooms and the 3rd floor closed). Free, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., January 4 to December 28 |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Koishiki Main House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004416
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koishiki Main House
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/180636
- Public opening of the Koishiki main house (Fuchu City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.fuchu.hiroshima.jp/soshiki/keizaikanko/syokokanko/kankosinko/koisiki/9340.html
- Hourly room rental at Koishiki (Fuchu City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.fuchu.hiroshima.jp/soshiki/keizaikanko/syokokanko/kankosinko/koisiki/9343.html
- Koishiki (Fuchu City Tourism Association, in Japanese)
- https://fuchu-kanko.jp/recommended/recommended-902/
Last verified: 2026.09.24
