About the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench
The Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench (梶原家住宅内腰掛待合, Kajiwara-ke Jūtaku Uchi-koshikake-machiai) is a Taisho-era (1912 to 1925) covered waiting bench north of the Shizunoya tea room on the Kajiwara estate in Oshio, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
In a tea garden, the koshikake-machiai is where guests sit and wait for the host to come and greet them. The Inner Waiting Bench measures 3.2 by 2.0 meters, a building area of 8.7 square meters.
A Driftwood Post and a Circular Opening
The feature that catches the eye in the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench is its central post: a weathered, driftwood-like log set upright as found. From it, an earthen wall cut away in a large circle divides the interior in two.
One side is laid with tatami and reserved for honored guests, so the bench itself sorts its visitors by rank. The floor is paved with tiles laid on the diagonal (shihanjiki).
The roof is a maneki-zukuri, a gable with slopes of unequal length, finished in cypress bark (hiwadabuki).
A Sand Privy Attached
On the north side, under a lowered roof (ochimune), is a suna-setchin, a sand privy kept as part of the garden's ritual scenery rather than for use. The estate's working privy stands separately northeast of the tea room.
Between the sand privy and the main house stands the middle gate, marking the threshold of the tea quarter. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench as simple yet finely designed, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Seeing the Inner Waiting Bench
The Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench is part of a private home and is not open to the public. A small structure deep inside the tea garden, it is not expected to be visible from outside the grounds (not verified on site).
For an overview of the estate and directions, see the Kajiwara Family Residence (Nishi-Kajiwara) page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench
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Q&A
- What is the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench?
- A covered bench where tea guests waited in the garden, built in the Taisho era (1912 to 1925).
- What is unusual about the post of the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench?
- It is a weathered, driftwood-like log, and an earthen wall cut in a large circle divides the space from it.
- Who sat in the tatami side of the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench?
- It was reserved for honored guests of high rank.
- What is the sand privy attached to the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench?
- A decorative privy kept as part of the tea garden scenery, built onto its north side.
- Can I visit the Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench?
- No. It is part of a private residence and is not open to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Kajiwara Family Residence Inner Waiting Bench |
|---|---|
| Location | 457 Miyanomoto, Oshiocho, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2009 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 8.7 m² (3.2 m by 2.0 m) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private home; exterior from the street) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs database: 梶原家住宅内腰掛待合
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007898
- Himeji City: 梶原家住宅（西梶原）内腰掛待合
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001796.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
