What Is the Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya?
The Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya (旧藤森家住宅水屋) is a free-standing single-storey preparation house for tea gatherings, west of the Saihōan tea house on the Fujimori estate in Funabashi-cho, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture; it was built in 1930 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2022.
A Mizuya is the backstage of the tea ceremony, where utensils are washed, water and charcoal made ready, and sweets and food prepared. It is usually a corner of the tea house itself, and Saihōan has one of its own. The Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya is a separate building on top of that, with a building area of 43 m².
How the Preparation House Works
Its core is a six-mat room with a built-in cupboard, under a gabled roof of pantiles. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, an earth-floored work area sits along the north under a lower roof, with a privy projecting to the east and a storeroom to the west.
Tatami room, earth floor and storeroom in one run reads like the host's backstage work turned into a plan: a room to lay out utensils, a floor where water can be used freely, and a place to put things away, all just west of the tea room. Even at a busy gathering, the host's side of the work could stay out of the guests' sight.
It is a service building, yet nothing is skimped. Ridge beam and purlins are polished logs, and the walls are Shinkabe, with the posts left visible and the clay finished at the middle coat.
Two Faces for Two Audiences
The Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, and the reason is in its lower walls. The Agency notes that the dado is clad in cedar bark on the garden side and in vertical boards on the street side.
Towards the tea garden it shows the rustic texture that suits the path to the tea house; towards the street it presents a plain boarded wall that blends into the neighbourhood. A backstage building for tea thus doubles as part of the Senba streetscape.
It is also one of the few buildings on the estate that can be seen from outside.
Seeing the Mizuya
On public opening days the Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya can be viewed from inside the grounds, where the cedar-bark dado and polished-log eaves are visible.
The boarded street side can be seen from the road on any day; the official photograph is taken from the north-west. This is a residential street, so keep clear of traffic while you look. The notices do not say if visitors may go inside or take photos, so ask the volunteers on an open day. Opening dates and directions are on the Former Fujimori Family Residence page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya (Tea Preparation House)
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Q&A
- What is the Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya?
- A free-standing preparation house for tea gatherings, west of the Saihōan tea house, used for readying utensils, water and food.
- When was the Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya built?
- In 1930, the same year as the tea house and the waiting pavilion.
- What is the layout of the Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya?
- A six-mat room with a cupboard, an earth-floored area under a lower roof to the north, and a privy and storeroom projecting east and west, 43 m² in all.
- Why is the Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- For its contribution to the historic landscape: its lower walls are cedar bark towards the garden and vertical boards towards the street.
- Can I see the Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya?
- The street side is visible from the road at any time. The grounds are open on the 2nd Sunday of each month, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Fujimori Family Residence Mizuya (Tea Preparation House) (旧藤森家住宅水屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2 Funabashicho 3-chome, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2022 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 43 m² |
| Owner | Himeji City |
| Public Access | Open to the public on the 2nd Sunday of each month, 10 a.m. to 12 noon (may close in bad weather) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 旧藤森家住宅水屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014278
- Himeji City: Public Opening of the Former Fujimori Family Residence
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000030546.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
