A long wing running north along the east boundary
The Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen (高橋家住宅離れ及び台所, Takahashi-ke Jūtaku Hanare oyobi Daidokoro) is a single-storey timber building of the mid-Meiji period, built between 1883 and 1896, at 5-4077 Obi, Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) on 10 September 2010.
The wing starts on the east side of the main house and runs north along the edge of the plot for 14 metres. It has a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof in Sangawara-buki pantiles and covers 42 square metres. The southern half is the detached annex, a set of living rooms, and the northern half is the kitchen, so two very different spaces share one roof.
What makes the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen worth recording
The Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. It stands between the main house and the east storehouse and forms the eastern outline of the estate.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs description dwells on the kitchen. Its Doma earth floor has no ceiling above it, and it keeps a well, a tiled sink and a brick cooking range. Kitchen equipment is usually the first thing a household replaces, which is why a complete set like this deserves a close look.
Bracketed eaves and a brick-paved walkway
On the west side of the Takahashi annex and kitchen, wooden brackets (udegi) carry the eaves well out from the wall, and the space beneath is paved with brick as a walkway. An eave also links the kitchen to the east storehouse to the north, so the route from the main house to the kitchen and on to the storehouse runs under cover.
Under the single gabled roof, the construction changes with use. The annex at the south holds living rooms, while the kitchen at the north is an earth-floored space with no ceiling, so the roof structure is exposed overhead.
Because the well, the tiled sink and the brick range sit together, it is easy to picture the daily cooking of an Obi merchant household here.
Visiting the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen (as of September 2026)
The estate has been closed since 1 August 2023. Even before the closure, every building except the main house was off-limits, so the kitchen floor and fittings of the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen cannot be seen up close.
The wing lies inside the wall along the street, and little of it is visible from outside. No official guidance on photography could be found. The Nichinan City Tourism and Sports Division (0987-27-3315) is the listed contact for reopening news.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Miyazaki
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen
- [ Takachiho Gorge Boat & Aoshima Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- Can I visit the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen?
- No. The estate has been closed since 1 August 2023, and even before that only the main house was open.
- What kind of building is the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen?
- A single-storey timber wing 14 metres long, with the detached annex in the southern half and the kitchen in the northern half, under a gabled pantile roof.
- What survives in the kitchen of the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen?
- An earth-floored space with no ceiling, a well, a tiled sink and a brick cooking range.
- When was the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen registered?
- On 10 September 2010, for its contribution to the historic landscape. The building dates to the mid-Meiji period, between 1883 and 1896.
- Where is the Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen on the estate?
- It runs north from the east side of the main house along the east boundary, and an eave links its north end to the east storehouse.
Basic Information
| Name | Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-4077 Obi, Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2010 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 42 square metres, 14 metres long |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (managed and operated by Nichinan City, according to a 2023 local news report) |
| Public Access | Closed since 2023; no reopening date announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Takahashi Family Residence Detached Annex and Kitchen (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008392
- Former Takahashi Genjiro House, Obi Castle Town Preservation Society
- https://obijyo.com/ayumimap/takahashigenjirou/
- Former Takahashi Genjiro House temporarily closed over leaks and safety risks (Nichinan TV, 31 July 2023)
- https://www.nichinan.tv/2023/07/31/otcs/
Last verified: 2026.09.16
