About the Nagata Family Residence Main House
The Nagata Family Residence Main House (永田家住宅主屋, Nagata-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is the main dwelling of a large farmhouse compound in Shitori Nagata, Minamiawaji City, Hyogo Prefecture, built in the middle Meiji period (1883 to 1897) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on January 26, 2011. It was registered together with eight other structures on the same plot, among them the detached zashiki and the nagayamon gate.
The house stands at the center of the plot facing south. It measures 19 meters by 12 meters, rises two stories in timber and covers 313 square meters. Minamiawaji City identifies the seventh head of this household as Nagata Hidejiro, who later served as mayor of Tokyo among other posts.
Why It Was Registered
The Nagata Family Residence Main House was registered as a model of design. It is the only one of the nine Nagata structures registered on that ground; the other eight were listed for their contribution to the historic landscape.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls the building a large house that carries on the early-modern farmhouse type of this region. Although it went up in the Meiji era, its plan follows the arrangement Awaji farm families had used since the Edo period.
An Earth-Floored Work Area and Six Rooms
On the east side of the Nagata Family Residence Main House was originally a Doma, an earth-floored space for work and cooking. To the west, the raised floor is laid out as six rooms in two rows of three, and the three rooms along the south front served as formal zashiki for guests. Work stayed on the east, hospitality faced the front, which is how a prosperous farming household organized its day.
The roof is hip-and-gable with hongawara tiles, the heavy round-and-flat tiling used on temples and better houses. A lower lean-to roof runs around all four sides and shelters a toilet and storage rooms, so from the front the roofs appear stacked in two tiers. On the west, the house connects through the toilet block to the detached zashiki.
Visiting the Nagata Family Residence Main House
The house is a private residence and its interior is not open to the public. We found no notice of tours or special openings.
The nagayamon gate and the munamon gate stand in front of the Nagata Family Residence Main House, so the facade cannot easily be seen from outside the plot. Expect at most a glimpse of the upper roof over the gates. If you take photographs, stay outside the property and be considerate of the residents.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nagata Family Residence Main House
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Nagata Family Residence Main House built?
- The national database dates it to the middle Meiji period, 1883 to 1897. The adjoining detached zashiki was built in 1888.
- Why is the Nagata Family Residence Main House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on January 26, 2011, as a model of design, and is valued as a large house that preserves the early-modern farmhouse type of the area.
- What is the floor plan of the Nagata Family Residence Main House like?
- The east side was originally an earth-floored work area. The raised west side has six rooms in two rows, with the three front rooms used as formal zashiki.
- How large is the Nagata Family Residence Main House?
- It is a two-storied timber building measuring 19 meters by 12 meters, with a building area of 313 square meters.
- Can I go inside the Nagata Family Residence Main House?
- No. It is a private home, the interior is closed, and we found no public opening scheduled.
Basic Information
| Name | Nagata Family Residence Main House |
|---|---|
| Location | 1493 Aza-Yoshinobo, Shitori Nagata, Minamiawaji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered January 26, 2011 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 19 m × 12 m; building area 313 m² |
| Owner | Private individual (blank in the national database; per Minamiawaji City) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 永田家住宅主屋 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008536
- Minamiawaji City: 永田家住宅主屋（おもや）
- https://www.city.minamiawaji.hyogo.jp/bunkaisan/bunkazai/r-82.html
Last verified: 2026.10.04
