The single-storey link in the middle of the plot
The Arakawa Family Residence Annex is a single-storey wooden building of the early Taisho years (1912 to 1925) inside the Arakawa compound at 868 Ko, Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1999 (Heisei 11). It has a Sangawara-buki Yosemune-zukuri roof and covers 50 square meters.
It occupies the middle of the plot. From the back of the three-storey main house on the street it runs north and meets the inner storehouse beyond. While it links the buildings in front and behind, the Arakawa Family Residence Annex is itself a reception room, the okuzashiki where guests were received.
None of it is visible from the road. This building faces inward only.
The order of construction is the point
The Arakawa Family Residence Annex holds registration number 08-0009 and was listed as a building that sets a standard of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it followed the rebuilding of the shop storehouse and was raised so as to connect with the inner storehouse that already stood there.
That sequence matters. The Arakawa compound went up over some 60 years: the inner storehouse in 1868, the shop storehouse in 1907, the Arakawa Family Residence Annex in the early Taisho years, the main house in 1933. Five buildings, none of them planned together, each added as the business grew.
The annex sits at the seam. If you want to read how a merchant household expanded across its land, this is the building that shows it.
A metal eave over the courtyard
At the Arakawa Family Residence Annex a sheet-metal eave is thrown out toward the inner courtyard, and a corridor runs around the reception room. Under the eave is a sheltered strip that stays walkable in rain.
A single storey under a hipped roof is a different proposition from the three-storey block in front or the two-storey storehouses behind. Keeping the height down leaves sky over the courtyard, so buildings on both sides of the garden can be taken in at once.
Guests were led to a room at the back, and the corridor made the route. The plan shows how a merchant family staged the business of receiving people.
Visiting the Arakawa Family Residence Annex
The Arakawa Family Residence Annex is part of a private home and is not open. It stands deep in the plot and cannot be seen from the street either, so treat it as inaccessible. Of the Arakawa buildings, only the main house and the shop storehouse can be viewed from the road.
The same applies to photography. Do not enter the grounds, and do not try to look in from neighbouring private land.
The nearest station is Shimodate, about 700 meters and some 10 minutes on foot from the north exit, served by the JR Mito Line, the Kanto Railway Joso Line and the Moka Railway. Questions about any future opening go to the Culture and Sports Division of Chikusei City. Details confirmed on 5 September 2026.
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Q&A
- Can I visit the Arakawa Family Residence Annex?
- No. The Arakawa Family Residence Annex is closed to the public and sits too deep in the plot to be seen from the road. Only the main house and the shop storehouse are visible from the street.
- When was the Arakawa Family Residence Annex built?
- In the early Taisho years, between 1912 and 1925. It was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 August 1999, under registration number 08-0009.
- What was the Arakawa Family Residence Annex used for?
- It served as the inner reception room for guests and also as the link between the main house at the front and the inner storehouse behind. A sheet-metal eave projects toward the courtyard and a corridor wraps the reception room.
- Why was the Arakawa Family Residence Annex listed?
- It was registered as a building that sets a standard of design. Raised after the shop storehouse was rebuilt and tied into the existing inner storehouse, it shows how the compound took shape over time.
- Which station is closest to the Arakawa Family Residence Annex?
- Shimodate Station, about 700 meters away and roughly 10 minutes on foot from the north exit. The JR Mito Line, Kanto Railway Joso Line and Moka Railway all stop there.
Basic Information
| Name | Arakawa Family Residence Annex |
|---|---|
| Location | 868 Ko, Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 1999 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single storey, tile roof, building area 50 square meters |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Closed to the public and not visible from the street |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database (Registered Tangible Cultural Property, Buildings)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001236
- Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education: Arakawa Family Residence, Main House and Four Others
- https://kyoiku.pref.ibaraki.jp/bunkazai/bunkazai-registered-6491/
- Chikusei City: Arakawa Family Residence (registration numbers 08-0007 to 08-0011)
- https://www.city.chikusei.lg.jp/kyouiku-bunka-sports/bunkazai/nationally-registered/page000272.html
Last verified: 2026.09.05