About the Ishido Family Residence Main House
The Ishido Family Residence Main House (石堂家住宅主屋, Ishidō-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is a large thatched farmhouse of the late Edo period (1751–1830) in Ogaichi, Sayo Town, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2012.
The house stands in the middle of a riverside plot, facing south. It measures 22.7 m by 11.8 m with a building area of 256 m². It is a wooden single-story building with a partial upper floor, under a hipped-and-gabled irimoya roof of thatch. The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists the roofing as thatch and tile, which suggests tiled sections attached to the main thatched roof.
A big Harima farmhouse
The Agency's description of the Ishido Family Residence Main House makes one main point: it shows the typical features of the large farmhouses of the Harima region, the old province covering southwestern Hyogo. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Those features show up in the plan. The western part of the house is an earth-floored Doma, the working area of a farmhouse. East of it, the raised floor holds eight rooms in two rows of four, front and back. The easternmost room of the front row is the inner reception room, and a veranda runs around it facing the garden. The work area sits at the west end and the room for receiving guests at the southeast corner.
The house dates from the late Edo period and was altered in the early Showa period (1926–1945) and again around 1962. The sources do not say what was changed, but the thatched roof remains.
What to look for
Seen from outside, the Ishido Family Residence Main House is all roof: a single thatched irimoya covering a building 22.7 m long. On the south front is a formal Shikidai entrance, and in front of it stands the Middle Gate of the early Meiji period. Guests entering by the Front Gate probably passed through the Middle Gate to reach this entrance.
The garden in front of the inner reception room extends toward the Mukaizashiki, the detached reception wing in the southeast corner. The verandas of both buildings face the same garden.
Visiting the Ishido Family Residence Main House
The Ishido Family Residence Main House is still a private home, and the interior is not open to the public. Because it stands in the middle of the property, only its roofline can be glimpsed beyond the Front Gate and South Wall.
We have not confirmed the best spot for seeing the thatched roof. Take photographs only from the public road and avoid lingering at the gate.
Q&A
- When was the Ishido Family Residence Main House built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period (1751–1830). It was altered in the early Showa period and around 1962.
- Does the Ishido Family Residence Main House still have a thatched roof?
- Yes. It has a thatched irimoya roof, and the Agency lists the roofing as thatch and tile.
- What is the floor plan of the Ishido Family Residence Main House?
- An earth-floored doma on the west, and eight raised rooms in two rows of four on the east, with the inner reception room at the front east corner and a veranda facing the garden.
- Why is the Ishido Family Residence Main House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2012 for its contribution to the historic landscape, as a good example of the large farmhouses of the Harima region.
- Can I go inside the Ishido Family Residence Main House?
- No. It is a private home and the interior is not open. The exterior can only be viewed from outside the property.
Basic Information
| Name | Ishido Family Residence Main House (石堂家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 823 Ogaichi, Sayo Town, Sayo District, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2012 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 22.7 m × 11.8 m (ketayuki × harima), building area 256 m² |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private home; exterior from outside the grounds) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 石堂家住宅主屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009193
- Cultural Heritage Online: 石堂家住宅主屋
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/239976
Last verified: 2026.10.01
