What is the Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing?
The Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing (黒木家住宅台所棟, Kuroki-ke Jūtaku Daidokorotō) is a one-story timber kitchen building of the early Taisho period at 4983-4 Komaki, Okobira, in Ebino City, Miyazaki Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on July 23, 2004.
It continues directly from the northwest side of the main house and handled the cooking and other work behind the scenes of the household. Its building area is 69 square meters, almost the same as the zashiki wing at the back, and its registration number is 45-0028.
Why the kitchen wing was registered
The Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing was registered as a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs ends its description by noting that, although it is an ancillary building, it was built with care to match the main house.
Kitchens were seldom seen by guests, and builders often spent less on them. Here the roof forms and finishes follow the main house, so the service side and the formal front of the Kuroki property were made to the same standard.
A half hip-and-gable roof with a stepped extension
According to the Agency, the roof of the kitchen wing is a kata-irimoya, a hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) treatment applied to one end only, the other end meeting the main house. A lean-to eave runs around it, and one part projects under an Ochimune, a roof with its ridge dropped a step below the main ridge.
Everything, lean-tos and extension included, is roofed in Sangawara-buki pantiles. The roofs step down at different heights, echoing the layered roofline of the main house next door.
Earth floor, raised floor and high windows
Inside, the Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing is divided between a raised timber floor and a Doma, an earth-floored work area. The doma was the place for work with water and fire; the raised part probably served for preparing and setting out meals.
What caught the Agency's attention was the height. The frame of posts and beams is built tall, and high windows set in the upper wall let in daylight. Kitchens tend to sit deep in a house where side windows bring little light, and lighting the room from above was a practical answer for a working space that would otherwise be dim.
Seeing the Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing
The kitchen wing is part of a private home, and no official source offers opening days or a way to arrange a visit, so the earth floor and high windows inside cannot be seen.
The wing stands off the northwest side of the main house. If any of it is visible from outside, look for the one-sided hip-and-gable roof and the lower stepped roof of the extension. Stay off the property, and with no guidance on photography, keep the household out of any picture.
Q&A
- When was the Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing built and registered?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the early Taisho period. It was registered on July 23, 2004, under number 45-0028.
- Where does the Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing stand?
- It continues directly from the northwest side of the main house, forming one building with it.
- What is unusual about the roof of the Kuroki kitchen wing?
- It is hip-and-gable at one end only, with a lean-to eave around it and an extension under a lower, stepped ridge. The whole roof is pantiled.
- What is inside the Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing?
- A raised timber floor and an earth-floored doma. The frame is built tall, with high windows in the upper wall for daylight.
- Can visitors see inside the Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing?
- No public viewing is announced. The wing is part of a private home, and the interior is not open.
Basic Information
| Name | Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing |
|---|---|
| Location | 4983-4 Komaki, Okobira, Ebino City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered July 23, 2004 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 69 square meters |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | No public viewing announced (private home) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004306
- Cultural Heritage Online: Kuroki Family Residence Kitchen Wing (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/180526
Last verified: 2026.10.03
