A Rental House for Kyoto University Teachers
The Saito Family Residence (齋藤家住宅) is a two-storey timber house of around 1924 in Yoshida Kaguraoka-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 14, 1999. It is one of a group of rental houses built mainly for teachers at Kyoto Imperial University, designed by Maeda Takumi (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a two-storey timber building with a copper roof and a building area of 90 square metres; registration number 26-0047, with no owner listed.
The Kaguraoka Rental Houses
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, between the end of the Taisho era and about 1942, 28 rental houses were built in eight blocks on the north-east slope of Kaguraoka (Mount Yoshida), mainly for Kyoto University teaching staff. The Saito Family Residence is one of them.
The Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration describes the new housing built at Kaguraoka at the foot of Mount Yoshida: close to Kyoto Imperial University, it was planned for university staff, with plans of the time showing a room for a live-in student. A variety of plans suited different households, and the houses were stepped up the slope so that every living room could see the Daimonji bonfire.
Why It Was Registered
The Saito Family Residence was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes its elegant Japanese-style exterior, two storeys in timber under a copper roof, and its separate children's room upstairs.
What to Look For
The Saito Family Residence is a two-storey timber house with a copper roof and a Japanese-style exterior (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
A separate children's room on the upper floor is its distinguishing feature (Agency for Cultural Affairs), a home planned for the families of university teachers.
Visiting the Saito Family Residence
The Saito Family Residence appears to be a private home, and we found no official information on public access. Please view it only from the street. The address is 8-158 Yoshida Kaguraoka-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto.
Q&A
- When was the Saito Family Residence built?
- Around 1924 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Who designed the Saito Family Residence?
- Maeda Takumi (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Why was the Saito Family Residence built?
- As one of 28 rental houses on Kaguraoka built mainly for Kyoto University teachers (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is distinctive about the Saito Family Residence?
- Its elegant Japanese exterior and separate upstairs children's room (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Saito Family Residence registered?
- On October 14, 1999.
Basic Information
| Name | Saito Family Residence (齋藤家住宅) |
|---|---|
| Location | 8-158 Yoshida Kaguraoka-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1999/10/14 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 2 storeys, copper roof, building area 90 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the national record |
| Public Access | No official information on public access |
References
- Saito Family Residence (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001396
- Preserving the Yoshida Kaguraoka former Tanigawa houses (Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration)
- https://www.kyoto-machisen.jp/fund/machiya_cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/kirokusyu_yoshidakaguraoka.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.08