About the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor
The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor (塩田家住宅主屋及び離れ座敷) is a timber house of one story with a partial second floor, built in 1914 in Nouma, Shodoshima-cho, Kagawa Prefecture, and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2003.
It is the main home of the Shioda family, who run Yamasan Soy Sauce, and it stands toward the north of the residence plot that lies south of the brewery. The main house has a hip-and-gable roof in pantiles (Sangawara-buki) with an east-west ridge and measures 15 by 9 meters. A detached parlor with a north-south ridge is joined on the west, and the whole covers 282 square meters.
The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor is the largest of the five listed Shioda buildings and the only one from the Taisho era. The gate, storehouses and annex all date from the early Showa years, which suggests the household was built out around this house.
Why the Main House Was Listed
The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor was listed as a model of design. The other four Shioda buildings, like most of the brewery, were listed for their contribution to the landscape; this house was valued for its own form. The only other building in the Yamasan group listed on the same grounds is the small Western-style house in the brewery.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a modern house in Japanese style, with the walls above the wainscot carefully finished in black plaster. Polished black plaster is demanding work for a plasterer, and it shows the standard of building a soy sauce family could afford in the early Taisho years.
What to Look For at the Shioda Main House
Start with the eaves of the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor. A pent roof runs right around the house, keeping the upper level low so that it reads like a loft storey. Part of the house does rise to two floors, but the strong horizontal line of the eaves gives it a calm, long profile.
Then follow the plan. An entrance porch projects to the south, a kitchen wing (kamaya) projects to the north, and on the west the detached parlor turns its ridge through 90 degrees. The formal front for guests, the working back of the house and the reception room each show up as a distinct form.
Walk around the house and see how far the black plaster finish above the wainscot extends; the Agency for Cultural Affairs singles it out as carefully executed work.
Visiting the Shioda Family Residence Main House
The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor stands in the middle of the residence plot, enclosed by the gate and wall on the south, so it is hard to see as a whole from outside. Shodoshima Town lists the front garden among the stops on Yamasan's reserved tour, so depending on the route you may be able to see the main house across the garden.
The town does not say whether the interior of the house is shown. Ask when you book, and check with the guide about photography.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor
- [ Naoshima Art Island & Kotohiragu Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- What is the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor?
- The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor is the Shioda family's main home, built in 1914: a one-story timber house with a partial second floor, a hip-and-gable pantile roof and a building area of 282 square meters.
- When and why was the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor registered?
- The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor was registered on September 19, 2003, as a model of design.
- What are the exterior features of the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor?
- The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor has a pent roof all around that makes it look like a loft house, black plaster above the wainscot, a south entrance porch, a north kitchen wing and a detached parlor to the west.
- Where is the detached parlor of the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor?
- The detached parlor of the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor is joined to the west side of the main house, with its ridge running north to south.
- Can visitors see the Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor?
- The Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor is inside the residence grounds, so visits are through Yamasan's reserved tour. Ask when booking whether the house interior is included.
Basic Information
| Name | Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor |
|---|---|
| Location | 140-2 Ishii-ko, Nouma, Shodoshima-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2003 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 282 m² (one story with partial second floor, timber frame) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Grounds shown on guided tours by reservation |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003618
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shioda Family Residence Main House and Detached Parlor (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/139388
- Shodoshima Town: Yamasan Soy Sauce Co., Ltd. (Japanese)
- https://www.town.shodoshima.lg.jp/kanko/miru/sangyo/yamasan.html
Last verified: 2026.09.24
