About the Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor
The Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor (上月家住宅西離座敷, Kōzuki-ke Jūtaku Nishi-hanare-zashiki) is a single-storey reception wing built in 1930 in Bozumachi, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
It lies southwest of the main house and is reached by crossing an arched drum bridge. The building covers 56 square metres.
Its roof matches the north parlor's: a north-south hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) in pan tiles (Sangawara-buki), with copper sheet along the eaves.
Why the Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor Was Registered
The Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor was registered for its contribution to the historic townscape, and the official description makes clear that it was designed to be looked at from the garden.
The garden-side veranda carries a railing (Kōran) topped with onion-shaped Giboshi finials, the kind of detail more familiar from bridges and temple verandas, and the base below is built of irregular, randomly laid stones. Put on a house, the effect is to turn the room itself into one of the garden's set pieces.
What to Look For
Inside, the Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor has two rooms in a row from north to south: a principal room with formal fittings (Zashiki-kazari) and an anteroom. A veranda of long boards (Kure-en) runs around three sides, so the rooms open to the garden almost everywhere.
Compare it with the north parlor, built the same year as a single 18-mat hall. The west parlor splits its space into a main room and a second room, which suggests the household intended the two wings for different kinds of occasions.
The approach matters too. Crossing a drum bridge to get here puts a small, deliberate threshold between the everyday house and this room.
Visiting
The Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor is part of a private home; neither the building nor the garden is open to the public. No public opening had been announced as of October 2026.
It sits inside the grounds, southwest of the main house, and cannot be seen from the street. From outside, only the front gate is visible.
Q&A
- When was the Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor 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 West Detached Parlor?
- No. It is part of a private home, and no public opening had been announced as of October 2026.
- What is the layout of the Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor?
- A principal room with formal fittings and an anteroom set in a north-south row, with a veranda on three sides. The building covers 56 square metres.
- What is distinctive about the exterior of the Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor?
- Its garden-side veranda has a railing with giboshi finials over a base of random stonework, details chosen so the building looks good from the garden.
- How do you reach the Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor?
- By crossing a drum bridge from the southwest side of the main house.
Basic Information
| Name | Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor (上月家住宅西離座敷) |
|---|---|
| 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 56 square metres (single-storey timber, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- 上月家住宅西離座敷 / Kozuki Family Residence West Detached Parlor (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008741
- 上月家住宅西離座敷 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/213782
- 上月家住宅西離座敷 (City of Himeji, Registered Tangible Cultural Properties)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001704.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
