Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan: The Banquet Wing West of the Main Building
The Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan (麻吉旅館聚遠楼) is a late Edo-period timber banquet wing, dating from between 1830 and 1867, in Nakanocho, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, and was entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 9 February 2005.
It stands west of the Main Building on its own plot, 111 Nakanocho, rather than the Main Building's 109-3. Ise City describes the Juenro as the inn's banquet hall.
Two ranges run side by side on a north-south axis: a 3-storey timber block of 7 and a half bays by 4 and a half, and a 2-storey block of 7 and a half bays by 3. Both have hipped roofs (Yosemune-zukuri) of pantiles. The register treats them as one building of 3 storeys with a 2-storey part, covering 195 square metres.
Why It Was Registered
The Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan is registration number 24-0054, listed under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country, with the registration announced on 28 February 2005.
On the top floor, three 8-mat rooms line the west side, and the northeast corner holds a room of about 21 mats. That large room is the Juenro proper, and the building takes its name from it. The Agency for Cultural Affairs ends its description by calling the wing a landmark of Asakichi Ryokan.
According to Ise City, geisha reached the banquet by a gallery running around the outside of the building. Guests and entertainers came in by separate routes, a telling detail for a wing built for a ryotei.
What to Look For
Start with the outline. Because a 3-storey block and a 2-storey block of the same length stand shoulder to shoulder, the Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan shows a stepped profile from the foot of the lane, and it presents the broadest face of any building at Asakichi. It is easy to see why the Agency calls it a landmark.
The name itself can be read as a tall hall that gathers distant views, but no source found so far explains why it was chosen.
The row of three 8-mat rooms could be opened into one long hall by removing the sliding partitions, while the 21-mat room in the corner stood apart. Together they let the wing handle both large parties and smaller gatherings.
Visiting the Juenro
The wing belongs to a working inn and is not open to visitors. Only guests see the interior, and which room they use depends on the booking; if the large room interests you, ask the inn when you reserve.
The exterior can be seen from the lane, best from the bottom looking up, where it appears beside the Main Building. Ask before taking photographs indoors.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan
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Q&A
- What is the Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan?
- A late Edo-period timber banquet wing at 111 Nakanocho, Ise City, which Ise City describes as the inn's banquet hall. It combines a 3-storey block and a 2-storey block set side by side, with a total area of 195 square metres.
- What does the name Juenro refer to at Asakichi Ryokan?
- It is the name of a room of about 21 mats in the northeast corner of the top floor, beside a row of three 8-mat rooms on the west side. The wing is named after that room.
- When was the Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan registered as a cultural property?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 9 February 2005, as number 24-0054, under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape.
- How did geisha enter the banquets at the Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan?
- According to Ise City, they came in along a gallery that runs around the outside of the building, separate from the route used by guests.
- Can visitors go inside the Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan?
- It is not open to visitors. Only guests of the inn see the interior, and the room used depends on the booking. The exterior can be seen from the lane.
Basic Information
| Name | Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan (麻吉旅館聚遠楼) |
|---|---|
| Location | 111 Nakanocho, Ise City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/2/9 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 3 storeys with a 2-storey part, tiled roof, building area 195 square metres |
| Owner | Asakichi Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Banquet wing of a working inn; not open to visitors. Exterior visible from the lane |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004586
- Cultural Heritage Online: Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/180806
- Ise City: Juenro of Asakichi Ryokan (Japanese)
- https://www.city.ise.mie.jp/cul_spo_edu/culture/bunkazai_shiseki/bunkazai/yukei/1005928.html
Last verified: 2026.09.27
