What Is the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex?
The Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex (旧玉置家住宅離れ, Kyū Tamaoki-ke Jūtaku Hanare) is a late Meiji-period two-storey timber guest wing standing toward the Minogawa River 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 two-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 41 m², registration number 28-0099. It stands north of the rear block of the main house and west of the north storehouse, linked to the house by the corridor. According to Miki City, it was added by Taiki and Fukuzo, the first and third heads of the Tamaoki family, who took over the property in 1875, and it shows the craftsmanship of its time.
Why the Tamaoki Annex Was Registered
The Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the annex and the north storehouse give the Minogawa riverbank a distinctive look. If the main house is the residence's face on the street, the annex is its face on the river.
The Miki City History Museum also counts the techniques used in the two-storey annex, advanced for their day, among the property's strengths. The main house was built as a domain office; the annex is the room the Tamaoki family made for themselves.
What to Look for in the Tamaoki Annex
A gently swelling gable roof
The Tamaoki annex runs east to west, 2.5 ken (about 4.5 meters) by 5 ken (about 9.1 meters). Its gabled roof, Kirizuma-zukuri laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles, has a slight upward swell across its slopes, known as mukuri. Follow the roofline from outside and it reads softer than a straight gable.
Two eight-mat rooms
Inside are just two rooms of eight tatami mats each: a reception room and an anteroom. The reception room has a Tokonoma alcove, display shelves and a Tsukeshoin writing bay, everything a formal guest room needed and nothing more. The details of the alcove, the transoms and the sliding doors are best taken in sitting down, from inside the room.
Verandas front and back, and a river garden
Engawa verandas run along both the south and north sides. The south veranda faces the courtyard and connects through the corridor to the veranda of the main house. Beyond the north side, toward the river, is a garden enclosed by a wall. Miki City's newsletter names the garden as seen from the annex rooms as one of the highlights of the whole residence.
Visiting the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex
The Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex is part of the visitor route, reached from the main house along the corridor. Because it has verandas on both sides, this is the one room where you can compare the courtyard garden and the river garden from the same seat.
Both floors of the annex can be booked together with the outer garden, at a charge of 1,000 yen a day to cover utilities, and Miki City says photo shoots that use the old-house atmosphere are increasingly popular (checked October 2, 2026). The city does not say how much of the annex can be seen on days when it is booked, so if the annex is the main reason for your visit, contact the Miki City Tourism Promotion Division (0794-82-2000) first. Opening hours and directions are on the Former Tamaoki Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When was the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex built, and by whom?
- The government record dates it to the late Meiji period. Miki City says it was added by the first and third heads of the Tamaoki family, Taiki and Fukuzo, after the family acquired the property in 1875.
- What rooms are in the Tamaoki annex?
- An eight-mat reception room and an eight-mat anteroom. The reception room has an alcove, shelves and a writing bay, and there are verandas on the north and south sides.
- Can you see a garden from the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex?
- Yes. The south veranda looks onto the courtyard, and the north side looks onto a walled garden toward the Minogawa River. Miki City names the view from the annex as a highlight.
- Can the Tamaoki annex be rented, and how much does it cost?
- Both floors of the annex and the outer garden can be booked. Each costs 1,000 yen a day to cover utilities, with an application at City Hall by the day before (checked October 2, 2026).
- What is special about the roof of the Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex?
- It is a pantiled gable roof with a gentle upward swell, called mukuri, across its slopes.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex |
|---|---|
| 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 41 m² (two-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). Available for booking |
References
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex (Agency for Cultural Affairs database)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002680
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence North Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs database)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002677
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence Annex (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/187410
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence (Miki City Tourism Promotion Division, Japanese)
- https://www.city.miki.lg.jp/soshiki/33/2986.html
- Former Tamaoki Family Residence (Miki City History Museum, Japanese)
- https://www.city.miki.lg.jp/site/mikirekishishiryokan/12180.html
- A tourism base: the Former Tamaoki Family Residence (Koho Miki, February 2023, Japanese)
- https://www.city.miki.lg.jp/site/mikinoeetoko/56670.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
