One of the Oldest Farmhouses in Japan
The Hori Family Residence (Nishiyoshino) (堀家住宅(奈良県吉野郡西吉野村)) is the house of an old family of the late Muromachi period (1467 to 1572) in Nishiyoshinocho Wada, Gojo City, Nara Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on May 21, 1979 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a thatched house 17.6 by 13.8 metres under a hip-and-gable roof, with tiled lean-to eaves on the north and west; 1 old plan is designated with it; designation number 02092.
An Old Family House Linked to the Southern Court
The Hori Family Residence stands near the Kurotaki River, a tributary of the Kinokawa, and is said to have once served as a temporary residence of the Southern Court (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Its regular six-room plan, with posts originally set at every bay even along the room divisions, wide bays and low lintels, shows old-fashioned features that go back to the Muromachi period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The Agency values it as one of the oldest farmhouses in Japan. It was designated an Important Cultural Property on May 21, 1979.
What to Look For
Look for the regular six-room plan and the wide bays and low lintels of the Muromachi style (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
No official information on visiting was found.
Q&A
- When was the Hori Family Residence built?
- In the late Muromachi period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What legend is attached to it?
- It is said to have housed the Southern Court for a time.
- Why is it valuable?
- It is one of the oldest farmhouses in Japan.
- How is it laid out?
- In a regular six-room plan.
- When was the Hori Family Residence (Nishiyoshino) designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On May 21, 1979 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Hori Family Residence (Nishiyoshino) (堀家住宅(奈良県吉野郡西吉野村)) |
|---|---|
| Location | 48 Nishiyoshinocho Wada, Gojo City, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1979/05/21 (Showa 54) |
| Quantity | 1 building (with 1 old plan) |
| Dimensions | 17.6 by 13.8 m, hip-and-gable, thatched, tiled eaves on north and west |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Hori Family Residence (Nishiyoshino) (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/2805
Last verified: 2026.10.18