A Privy and Bathhouse by the Gate
The Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building (野村隆男家住宅便所・風呂棟, Nomura Takao-ke Jūtaku Benjo Furo-tō) is a late Edo-period (1830–1867) outbuilding in Doi Kakuchū, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 12 July 2005. It is a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of just 7.4 square metres, registered as number 39-0190.
It stands immediately north of the gate, along the western boundary, with a bathroom at its south end and a toilet at the north. In a samurai household of this period, washing and sanitation were kept in a separate small building rather than in the main house.
Why a Privy Was Registered
What caught the Agency for Cultural Affairs' attention is the west wall of the Nomura toilet and bath building. On that side, facing the lane, the lower wall is clad in battened weatherboarding and the upper wall is finished in white Shikkui plaster, giving the house a tidy street front.
A privy is back-of-house by nature, but because this one stands on the western edge next to the gate, its outer wall is part of the face the house presents to the street, just like the gate and hedges. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Two Faces, One Small Building
The Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building is 2 Ken by 1 ken, with a gabled kirizuma roof of pantiles and a ridge running north to south.
Its door is on the east side, facing into the grounds, while the west side toward the lane is a closed wall. Users came and went from inside the property; passers-by saw only boards and white plaster. The building manages to be practical on one side and presentable on the other.
The east slope of the roof uses left-handed tiles, as the national record also notes for the gate. Aki City explains that in windy Doi Kakuchū, roofers mix right- and left-handed tiles according to the wind. Look at the east slopes of the gate and this building side by side and you will see the same treatment continue.
Seeing the Building
Look at the west wall of the Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building from the lane before you go in; it runs on from the gate to the north, weatherboards below and white plaster above.
The east door and the left-handed tiles come into view when you pass through the gate and turn north. Follow the guidance on site as to how much of the interior you may look into.
Q&A
- Where is the Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building?
- It stands just north of the gate along the western edge of the plot, running north to south. You see its west wall from the lane and its east door from inside the grounds.
- What is inside the Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building?
- It is a small single-storey building, 2 by 1 ken, with a bathroom at the south end and a toilet at the north. The entrance is on the east side, facing into the grounds.
- Why is the Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- Its west wall, weatherboarded below and plastered above, helps form a neat street front for the house. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- When was the Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building built and registered?
- The national database dates it to the late Edo period (1830–1867). It was registered on 12 July 2005 as number 39-0190.
- Can you visit the Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building?
- Yes. The residence is owned by Aki City and open free of charge, roughly 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day according to the city. Follow on-site guidance about the interior.
Basic Information
| Name | Nomura Takao Family Residence Toilet and Bath Building |
|---|---|
| Location | 994 Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 12 July 2005 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 7.4 square metres |
| Owner | Aki City |
| Public Access | Open (free, about 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily) |
References
- 野村隆男家住宅便所・風呂棟 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004844
- 野村隆男家住宅便所・風呂棟 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/117724
- Aki City Doi Kakuchu Preservation District (Aki City)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=1381
Last verified: 2026.09.29
