A mid-Meiji hipped-roof house facing Honmachi-dori
The Takahashi Family Residence Main House (高橋家住宅主屋, Takahashi-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is a single-storey timber dwelling built between 1883 and 1896 in the mid-Meiji period at 5-4077 Obi, Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) on 10 September 2010.
It is the principal building of the estate of Takahashi Genjirō (高橋源次郎), an Obi businessman who sat in the House of Peers, and it takes the south-west corner of a plot that faces Honmachi-dori, the old merchant street of the Obi castle town. The building covers 113 square metres, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs records a remodelling in 1915.
The roof is Yosemune-zukuri, a hipped form, laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles and ringed by a lean-to Geya. A porch under an Irimoya-zukuri gable projects toward the street, and a bathroom and other service rooms are attached at the back.
Why the Takahashi Family Residence Main House was registered
Of the five listed buildings on the estate, only the Takahashi Family Residence Main House was registered as a model of design. The other four were listed for their contribution to the historic landscape. The main house, in other words, was judged on the quality of its own design, not only on its place in the setting.
The Agency's description points to good timber, painted sliding doors and graceful transom panels, and calls the reception room a well-made room in the sukiya manner, the refined style that grew out of tea-house design. The Obi Castle Town Preservation Society adds that the house belongs to the first generation of Obi homes to move from thatch to tiled roofs.
Three rooms in an L behind the porch
Inside the Takahashi Family Residence Main House, three rooms are arranged in an L-shape behind the entrance. The main reception room has a Tokonoma alcove with its related fittings.
The Nichinan City Tourism Association mentions Japanese paintings of cranes, peacocks and everyday life of the time inside the house. The carved Ranma and the subjects chosen for the fusuma show where a provincial businessman of the Meiji era decided to spend money on his rooms.
Outside, look at the porch. Against the broad hipped roof, it alone turns a gable toward the street, which marks it clearly as the entrance for guests.
Visiting the Takahashi Family Residence Main House (as of September 2026)
The estate, including the Takahashi main house, has been closed since 1 August 2023. Local news linked the closure to leaks from heavy rain that damaged the main house, the barn and other buildings; just before it, the main house was the only building visitors could still enter.
The painted doors and transoms cannot be seen while the closure lasts, and a wall along Honmachi-dori limits what shows from outside. No official guidance on photography could be found, so it is best to ask on site once the house reopens. The Nichinan City Tourism and Sports Division (0987-27-3315) is the listed contact for reopening news.
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Q&A
- Can I visit the Takahashi Family Residence Main House now?
- No. The estate has been closed since 1 August 2023, and Nichinan City has not set a reopening date. The contact is the city's Tourism and Sports Division (0987-27-3315).
- When was the Takahashi Family Residence Main House built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the mid-Meiji period, between 1883 and 1896, with a remodelling in 1915.
- Why is the Takahashi Family Residence Main House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 10 September 2010 as a model of design, for its sukiya-style reception room with good timber, painted doors and fine transom panels.
- What is there to see inside the Takahashi Family Residence Main House?
- Three rooms sit in an L behind the entrance, and the main room has a tokonoma alcove. The tourism association also mentions paintings of cranes, peacocks and daily life.
- Can I take photos inside the Takahashi Family Residence Main House?
- No official rule on photography could be found. The house is currently closed, so check on site after it reopens.
Basic Information
| Name | Takahashi Family Residence Main House |
|---|---|
| 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 113 square metres |
| 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 Main House (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008391
- Cultural Heritage Online: Takahashi Family Residence Main House
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/212953
- Takahashi Family Residence (Former Takahashi Genjiro House), Nichinan City Tourism Association
- https://www.kankou-nichinan.jp/tourisms/249/
- 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
