A Japanese House with a Western Wing
The Isono Family Residence (磯野家住宅) is a two-storey timber house built in 1930 at Ikuno-cho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, a Japanese-style home with a small Western-style wing beside its front entrance, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on July 15, 1997 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records two storeys of timber with a tiled roof and a building area of 255 square metres, registration number 37-0010. Zentsuji City lists it as privately owned (Zentsuji City).
A Western Room for a Japanese Home
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Isono Family Residence consists of a Japanese-style main house with a small two-storey Western wing attached beside the main entrance.
Between the Taisho and early Showa periods many Japanese houses gained a Western wing, often for receiving guests; the Agency for Cultural Affairs calls the Isono Family Residence a fine example of the type.
Value as a Registered Cultural Property
The Isono Family Residence was registered as a building that has become a model of design. With the Okawa Sake Shop and Okawa Family Residence, it was among the first Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in Zentsuji, all registered on July 15, 1997 (Zentsuji City).
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the Western wing of the Isono Family Residence is finished in mortar, with pilasters ornamented at the top and a decorative band between the ground and upper floors.
The pairing of the Japanese main house with the Western-style wing is the defining feature of the Isono Family Residence (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The Isono Family Residence is a private home and no public access information has been confirmed; please view it only from the street and respect the residents. The address is 2146-1 Ikuno-cho, Zentsuji City.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1930 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What kind of house is it?
- A Japanese-style house with a small two-storey Western wing beside the entrance (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What marks the Western wing?
- Mortar walls, pilasters ornamented at the top and a decorative band between the floors (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can visitors go inside?
- It is a private home, and no public access information has been confirmed.
- When was the Isono Family Residence registered?
- On July 15, 1997.
Basic Information
| Name | Isono Family Residence (磯野家住宅) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2146-1 Ikuno-cho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1997/07/15 (Heisei 9) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 255 square metres |
| Owner | Private (per the Zentsuji City list) |
| Public Access | No public access information (private home) |
References
- Isono Family Residence (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000275
- Cultural Properties of Zentsuji (Zentsuji City)
- https://www.city.zentsuji.kagawa.jp/soshiki/50/bunkazai.html
Last verified: 2026.10.11