The Servants' Quarters of a Spanish Villa
A grand house needs people to run it, and the Second Training Facility of the Onzan Memorial Hall is where those people lived. This small wooden building was originally the servants' quarters for the estate of Nitta Chojiro (1857–1936), the industrialist who founded the forerunner of Matsuyama University and whose family later donated the whole property, in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, to the school. Where the main house shows off, this building simply worked, and its survival is unusual. Domestic outbuildings were rarely thought worth keeping once their function ended.
It went up in 1928, the same year as the main villa, and was designed by the same architect, Nitta's son-in-law Kigo Shichiro (1884–1955). The building stands at the northwest corner of the grounds, set between the main house and the road. It is a single-story timber structure of about 39 square meters, four bays by three-and-a-half bays, with a hipped roof finished in Spanish (S-shaped) tiles that echoes the main building's roofline in miniature.
Why a Staff Building Was Registered
In March 2006 the Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the building as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, number 28-0217, under the criterion for structures that serve as a model of design. It was one of six structures on the estate registered together on the same day. The register, a category established in 1996, protects modern buildings by discouraging careless alteration while leaving them in everyday use.
Its value lies partly in completeness. A wealthy household of the interwar period was a small operation with its own staff, and the estate preserves the physical evidence of that arrangement rather than only the showpiece rooms. The Agency's own assessment calls the building valuable as an ancillary structure of the main house, and it fills out the picture of daily life on a Hanshin-corridor estate in a way the villa alone cannot.
What to Look For
The interior plan is worth reading as a document of its purpose. The south side holds three living rooms: a six-mat and a three-mat room in the Japanese manner, plus a small three-mat Western-style room. The service functions, kitchen and washing areas, are gathered on the north side. This is a practical layout for people whose day revolved around running the household next door.
From the outside, notice how the roof ties the building to the estate as a whole. The Spanish tiles, hipped form, and modest scale read as a deliberately quieter version of the main house rather than a plain shed. The building sits close to the street, so its exterior can be appreciated from the approach even when the interior is not open.
The estate is owned by Matsuyama University and used for student seminars and research, and this outbuilding now serves as the university's Second Training Facility. It is not a museum. Anyone wishing to see the grounds closely should contact the university in advance to confirm what can be viewed and when.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Matsuyama University Onsan Memorial Hall Second Training
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- What was this building originally used for?
- It was the servants' quarters for the Nitta family estate. The domestic staff who ran the main house lived here.
- Why is it now called the "Second Training Facility"?
- After Matsuyama University received the estate in 1989, it repurposed the buildings for education and research. This structure took on a training-facility role and the name that goes with it.
- Is it in Ehime, where Matsuyama University is based?
- No. Despite the university's name, the estate stands in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, near Koshienguchi Station. It was the private residence of the university's founder.
- Can I see inside?
- Not freely. The grounds are used by the university, and viewing depends on the season and arrangements. Contact Matsuyama University before visiting.
Basic Information
| Name | Matsuyama University Onzan Memorial Hall Second Training Facility |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-12-31 Koshienguchi, Nishinomiya, Hyogo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (registered 2 March 2006; register no. 28-0217) |
| Built | 1928 (Showa 3) |
| Architect | Kigo Shichiro |
| Structure | Timber, single story; hipped roof in Spanish tile; floor area approx. 39 sq m; four bays by three-and-a-half bays |
| Original use | Servants' quarters |
| Owner | Matsuyama University |
| Access / viewing | About 5 minutes on foot from JR Koshienguchi Station. Not a permanent museum; confirm viewing with the university in advance. |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties — Matsuyama University Onzan Memorial Hall Second Training Facility
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005307
- Matsuyama University — Onzan Memorial Hall
- https://www.matsuyama-u.ac.jp/guide/campus/kinen/
- Nishinomiya-style — Matsuyama University Onzan Memorial Hall (former Nitta Residence)
- https://nishinomiya-style.jp/glossary/matsuyamakinekan
Last verified: 2026.07.02