A Teahouse beside the Reception Rooms
The Nishio Family Residence Teahouse (西尾家住宅茶室, Nishio-ke Jūtaku Chashitsu) is an 1820 Chashitsu standing west of the main house's reception rooms at the Nishio Family Residence in Oyamakami, Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 July 2004.
It is a single-storey timber building of 31 square metres with its ridge running east to west. The roof is sheathed in copper, though the Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it as copper and tile. A covered walkway links it to the veranda behind the main house's reception rooms, so it is a separate building that guests could still reach under cover.
The garden wall that runs along the old road ends at the teahouse's northwest corner, so the Nishio teahouse also anchors the western end of the forecourt wall.
Why It Was Registered
The teahouse was registered as a model of architectural design, one of only two structures at the Nishio compound listed under that criterion; the other is the Heyagura and Nakagura storehouse.
What seems to have earned the listing is a compact plan that does a great deal. The 6-mat tea room can be reduced to 4 and a half mats with a removable lintel, a mizuya preparation room sits beside it, and a toilet and bath are fitted in between the teahouse and the main house. It is a complete suite for receiving tea guests in a provincial household of the late Edo period.
What to Look At
Two rooms
The Nishio Family Residence Teahouse has two rooms: a 3-mat Mizuya, where utensils are washed and the host prepares, and the 6-mat tea room.
Alcove and window on the west wall
On the west wall of the tea room a Tokonoma alcove occupies the northern half, and a furosaki window opens in the southern half. A furosaki window usually sits just beyond the brazier at the host's place, lighting the host's hands.
A room that changes size
A lintel fixed across the room lets the 6-mat space be used as a 4-and-a-half-mat tea room, the classic size, for smaller gatherings.
Between teahouse and house
A toilet and a bath lie between the teahouse and the main house's reception rooms, along the route guests would take from the house to the tea room.
Visiting
The Nishio Family Residence Teahouse stands inside the forecourt wall, and as of October 2026 there was no notice of public access.
Its northwest corner marks the western end of the garden wall along the old San'in Road, which is as close as visitors can get. Please do not enter the grounds.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nishio Family Residence Teahouse
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Nishio Family Residence Teahouse built?
- It was built in 1820 (Bunsei 3), almost ninety years after the main house of 1733.
- What is inside the Nishio teahouse?
- A 3-mat mizuya preparation room and a 6-mat tea room with an alcove and a furosaki window on the west wall. A lintel allows the tea room to be used at 4 and a half mats.
- How is the Nishio Family Residence Teahouse connected to the main house?
- A covered walkway runs from the veranda behind the main house's reception rooms, and a toilet and bath lie between the two buildings.
- Why is the Nishio Family Residence Teahouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 23 July 2004 as a model of architectural design, one of only two structures at the compound listed under that criterion.
- Can I visit the Nishio Family Residence Teahouse?
- It stands inside the walls of a private home, and as of October 2026 there was no notice of public access.
Basic Information
| Name | Nishio Family Residence Teahouse (西尾家住宅茶室) |
|---|---|
| Location | 699 Oyamakami, Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/7/23 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single storey, copper and tile roof, building area 31 square metres |
| Owner | Private (owner field blank in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nishio Family Residence Teahouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004275
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nishio Family Residence Teahouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/150885
Last verified: 2026.10.08
