What Is the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor?
The Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor (旧玉置家住宅廊下, Kyū Tamaoki-ke Jūtaku Rōka) is a late Meiji-period covered walkway linking the rear block of the main house to the annex at the Former Tamaoki Family Residence in Honmachi 2-chome, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 14, 2002.
The government record gives a single-storey timber structure with a tiled roof and a building area of 8.2 m², the smallest of the six registered buildings. Its registration number is 28-0100. Miki City says the corridor was added, together with the annex, by Taiki and Fukuzo, the first and third heads of the Tamaoki family, who took over the property in 1875.
Why the Tamaoki Corridor Was Registered
The Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs treats it as more than a passage. In its account, the corridor, the veranda of the main house and the south veranda of the annex together enclose an open courtyard against the service wing on the east.
The Miki City History Museum says the annex and this corridor were built with techniques that were advanced for their day. A structure of just 8.2 m² earns its own listing because it fixes both the route through the house and the shape of the courtyard.
What to Look for in the Tamaoki Corridor
Utilities tucked along one side
The Tamaoki corridor runs five and a half ken, about 10 meters. Along its west side, from south to north, are a storeroom, a toilet, a bathroom and another storeroom; the east side is left completely open. The family put the toilet and bath between the formal rooms and the annex, screened them behind the corridor and still kept the walkway light.
A tiled wall and a copper roof
Seen from the west, the outer face looks like a tall wall capped with tiles. The roof over the walkway itself is a light Dōban-buki copper roof. Heavy and closed on one side, open on the other: the corridor changes character depending on where you stand.
One side of the courtyard
From the open east side you look straight across the courtyard: the service wing and the east storehouse ahead, the veranda of the main house to the south and the annex veranda to the north. Standing here makes it clear that the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor forms the west side of that garden.
Visiting the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor
The Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor lies within the visitor route; you pass along it on the way from the rear block of the main house to the annex. Look out over the courtyard as you walk, then turn around halfway to see how the verandas of the house, the corridor and the annex bend into one continuous edge.
Miki City's information does not say how much of the storerooms and bathroom on the west side can be viewed (checked October 2, 2026), so ask a guide if you are curious, and check about photography before taking pictures indoors. Opening hours and directions are on the Former Tamaoki Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor?
- It runs between the rear block of the main house and the annex to the north, joining the two. The courtyard lies on its east side.
- When was the Tamaoki corridor built, and by whom?
- The government record dates it to the late Meiji period. Miki City says Taiki and Fukuzo, the first and third heads of the Tamaoki family, added it along with the annex.
- How long is the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor?
- About 10 meters (five and a half ken). Its building area is 8.2 m², the smallest of the six registered buildings.
- What is inside the Tamaoki corridor?
- On the west side, from south to north: a storeroom, a toilet, a bathroom and a storeroom. The east side is open, and the walkway has a copper roof while the west face is tiled.
- Can visitors walk through the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor?
- Yes. It is part of the visitor route between the main house and the annex. Admission is free, and the house is closed on Tuesdays (checked October 2, 2026).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-454 Honmachi, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture (street address: 2-2-17 Honmachi) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2002 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 8.2 m², length about 10 m (single-storey timber, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Miki City |
| Public Access | Open to the public (free; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed Tuesdays) |
References
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor (Agency for Cultural Affairs database)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002681
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence Corridor (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/139951
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence (Miki City History Museum, Japanese)
- https://www.city.miki.lg.jp/site/mikirekishishiryokan/12180.html
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence (Miki City Tourism Promotion Division, Japanese)
- https://www.city.miki.lg.jp/soshiki/33/2986.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
