About the Nagatani-en Annex
The Nagatani-en Annex (長谷園離れ, Nagatani-en Hanare) is a single-story timber guest wing of the Meiji period (1868 to 1912), joined by a corridor to the northwest of the main house at the Nagatani-en pottery in Marubashira, Iga City, Mie Prefecture, and it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 26 March 2015.
The Nagatani-en Annex runs east to west under a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles, with lean-to eaves all round, and covers 62 square meters. A corridor links it to the main house, and the same route continues west to the Taisho-era villa at the edge of the grounds.
Two eight-mat rooms for guests
Inside, the Nagatani-en Annex consists of two eight-mat tatami rooms side by side, described by Iga City as a pair of connecting rooms. A veranda runs around three sides, and the garden side can be opened up so that the rooms look out across the garden.
The western room is the principal one and has Zashiki-kazari, the formal alcove fittings of a reception room. A properly appointed guest room thus stands apart from the family's main house, reached along a corridor.
The back of the building is a different matter. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that its north side was designed to match the storehouses on either side, so that the Nagatani-en Storehouse to the east, the annex, and the Rear Storehouse to the west form one continuous wall along the north of the estate.
A hinge between the main house and the villa
The Nagatani-en Annex was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency notes that, besides being a guest wing, it also serves as the way through to the villa.
Iga City records that the villa was added in the Taisho period and is reached from the main house by way of the annex and a corridor. The Meiji annex thus sits between the Meiji main house and the Taisho villa, tying two generations of living space into a single route. The residential buildings that Mie Prefecture values at Nagatani-en are held together through this wing.
Seeing the Nagatani-en Annex
The Nagatani-en Annex is in the private residential area and is not normally open. A travel operator has advertised special tours of the private house and garden in the past.
It is unconfirmed if the garden-side rooms and the north face can be seen from public areas. Opening hours and directions for the walking area are on the Nagatani-en page.
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Q&A
- What kind of building is the Nagatani-en Annex?
- A Meiji-era guest wing joined by a corridor to the northwest of the main house, with two eight-mat rooms and formal alcove fittings in the western room.
- How is the Nagatani-en Annex connected to the villa?
- It doubles as the way through to the villa: from the main house, a route passes through the annex and on along a corridor to the villa.
- What does the Nagatani-en Annex look like?
- It has a gabled pantile roof with lean-to eaves and a veranda on three sides, and its back is designed to match the storehouses beside it.
- Can visitors see the Nagatani-en Annex?
- It is in the private residential area and is not normally open.
- When did the Nagatani-en Annex become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 26 March 2015. It dates from the Meiji period (1868 to 1912).
Basic Information
| Name | Nagatani-en Annex |
|---|---|
| Location | 569 Marubashira, Iga City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 26 March 2015 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 62 square meters (1-story timber, gabled pantile roof) |
| Owner | Not listed (Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not normally open |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Nagatani-en Annex (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010466
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nagatani-en Annex (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/277746
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Nagatani-en Villa (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010465
- Mie Prefecture: Summary of the recommended properties (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.mie.lg.jp/common/content/000371116.pdf
- Iga City Digital Museum: Nagatani-en buildings and kiln (Japanese)
- https://adeac.jp/iga-city/catalog/mp404530-100040
- Nagatani-en: Shop information (Japanese)
- https://igamono.co.jp/at-first/shop/
- THE KANSAI GUIDE: Special tour of the Nagatani-en pottery (Japanese)
- https://www.the-kansai-guide.com/ja/article/item/20288/
Last verified: 2026.10.05
