About the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House
The Kozuki Family Residence Tea House (上月家住宅茶室, Kōzuki-ke Jūtaku Chashitsu) is a small tea house built in 1930 in Bozumachi, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
It occupies the southwest corner of the Kozuki garden and covers just 16 square metres. A few steps to its northeast stands the waiting arbor where guests would gather before being called in.
The main roof is a hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) that throws out a deep earthen-floored eave (Tsuchibisashi), and a gabled preparation room (Mizuya) is attached on the north. The roofing is copper sheet (Dōban-buki), switching to pan tiles only near the ridge.
Why the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House Was Registered
Six of the seven Kozuki buildings were registered for their contribution to the historic townscape. The Kozuki Family Residence Tea House is the exception: it was registered as a model of design, the only building on the property chosen on the strength of its craftsmanship.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs points to the alcove as evidence. Its post is a thick stem of moso bamboo, and its front rail is red pine with strips of the natural bark-edge left on, finished in lacquer. Pairing a bold bamboo post with a softly rounded pine rail is exactly the kind of play with raw materials that defines the sukiya tea room.
What to Look For
The walls of the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House are earthen plaster, with cedar bark fixed along the lower part of the south and west sides, so each wall reads in two bands: pale clay above, warm brown bark below.
Windows and the low crawl-through guest entrance (Nijiriguchi) are grouped on the east side. With the waiting arbor to the northeast, a guest's route would have curved round to the east face before ducking inside.
The deep eave keeps the ground in front of that entrance dry. Between the split copper-and-tile roof, the gabled preparation room and the bark-clad walls, a remarkable amount is packed into 16 square metres.
Visiting
The Kozuki Family Residence Tea House stands in the garden of a private home and is not open to the public. No public tea gatherings or openings had been announced as of October 2026.
Tucked into the southwest corner of the garden, it cannot be seen from the street. From outside the grounds, only the front gate is visible.
Q&A
- When was the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House built?
- It was built in 1930 and registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
- Can I visit the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House?
- No. It is in the garden of a private home, and no public opening had been announced as of October 2026.
- Why was the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House registered?
- As a model of design. It is the only one of the seven Kozuki buildings registered on that basis.
- What is special about the alcove in the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House?
- Its post is moso bamboo and its front rail is lacquered red pine with the bark-edge left visible.
- Where is the guest entrance of the Kozuki Family Residence Tea House?
- On the east side, together with the windows. The waiting arbor stands to the northeast of the tea house.
Basic Information
| Name | Kozuki Family Residence Tea House (上月家住宅茶室) |
|---|---|
| Location | 37-7 Bozumachi, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 16 square metres (single-storey timber, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- 上月家住宅茶室 / Kozuki Family Residence Tea House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008742
- 上月家住宅茶室 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/228383
- 上月家住宅茶室 (City of Himeji, Registered Tangible Cultural Properties)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001709.html
- List of Registered Cultural Properties in Himeji (City of Himeji)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001691.html
Last verified: 2026.10.07
