A sukiya-style bathhouse for visitors
The Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse (日下家住宅客用風呂, Kusaka-ke Jūtaku Kyakuyō Furo) in Awaga, Santo-cho, Asago City, Hyogo Prefecture, is the small bath and lavatory building for guests, built in the late Taisho era; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on January 26, 2011 (number 28-0498). It stands as a north-south block west of the principal room of the main house.
The Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse, as the name says, held a bath and lavatory kept for visitors. It sits west of the middle gate, with the treasure storehouse further west.
A small hipped-and-gabled building
The Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse is a single-storey timber building of 3.6 metres by 3.2 metres, with a building area of 13 m², under a hipped-and-gabled pantile roof. The lavatory is at the north end and the bath and changing area to the south.
Fan rafters and a round window
Small as it is, the Kusaka guest bathhouse was built with care. The eaves use fan rafters spreading out from the corners, the beams are polished logs, the fittings carry woven wickerwork panels, and a large round window opens in the wall.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered it for the sukiya touches found throughout, a sign of the comfort a landowning family could offer its guests in the late Taisho years.
Visiting
The Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse lies inside the compound and is not open. It cannot be seen from the road.
The background of the property, what can be seen from outside and directions are on the Kusaka Family Residence (Asago) page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse?
- In the Kusaka compound in Awaga, Santo-cho, Asago City, west of the principal room of the main house.
- When was the Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse registered as a cultural property?
- On January 26, 2011, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 28-0498.
- How big is the Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse?
- A single-storey timber building of 3.6 metres by 3.2 metres, with a building area of 13 m².
- What design features does the Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse have?
- Fan rafters, polished-log beams, wickerwork panels in the fittings and a large round window, all in sukiya taste.
- Can visitors see the Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse?
- No. It is inside the private compound and cannot be seen from outside.
Basic Information
| Name | Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse (日下家住宅客用風呂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2097 Nishitani, Awaga, Santo-cho, Asago City, Hyogo Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 28-0498 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/01/26 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled roof; building area 13 m² |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kusaka Family Residence Guest Bathhouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008551
- Tajima Encyclopedia (Tanshin Regional Promotion Fund) — Kusaka Family Residence
- https://tanshin-kikin.jp/tajima/576
Last verified: 2026.10.02
