Reception rooms behind a storehouse face
The Kobaien Detached Parlor (古梅園離れ座敷, Kōbaien Hanarezashiki) in Tsubaicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, is the detached reception building across the courtyard behind the main house at Kobaien, the sumi ink maker founded in 1577; it was built early in the Taishō era (1912 to 1925) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 1998/01/16 (number 29-0008). The Kobaien Detached Parlor is a 2-storey building across a courtyard behind the main house. From outside it has the heavy look of a storehouse, but the Agency for Cultural Affairs records that both floors are finished with lavish, high-quality work.
It is dated to the early Taishō era: timber, tiled, with a building area of 76 square metres.
Paired rafters and a different reason for registration
Under the upper eaves of the Kobaien Detached Parlor, the slender laths above the rafters are set in pairs, the fukiyose style, so that looking up you see fine lines marching two by two.
The north gable is finished to match the run of tall walls that starts at the main house, and it forms part of the lane frontage. Of the 25 Kobaien buildings, only the Kobaien Detached Parlor was registered as "not easily reproduced"; the other 24 were registered for their contribution to the historic landscape. It was the quality of its interior that set it apart.
Seeing it
The Kobaien property is a private home and a working factory, and the interior of the Kobaien Detached Parlor is not open. Its exterior can be seen from the lane along the north side of the plot.
Shop hours, how to book a factory visit and directions from the station are on the Kobaien page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Kobaien Detached Parlor?
- Behind the Kobaien Main House, on the far side of a courtyard.
- What is special about the Kobaien Detached Parlor?
- A storehouse-like exterior wraps high-quality rooms on both floors, and the upper eaves have paired fukiyose laths.
- Was the Kobaien Detached Parlor registered on different grounds?
- Yes. It is the only one of the 25 Kobaien buildings registered as "not easily reproduced".
- Can visitors see the Kobaien Detached Parlor?
- The interior is not open, but the exterior can be seen from the lane to the north.
- When was the Kobaien Detached Parlor registered as a cultural property?
- On 1998/01/16, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 29-0008.
Basic Information
| Name | Kobaien Detached Parlor (古梅園離れ座敷) |
|---|---|
| Location | 7 Tsubakiicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 29-0008 |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/01/16 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 2 storeys, tiled roof; building area 76 square metres |
| Owner | Kobaien Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior not open; exterior visible from the lane to the north |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kobaien Detached Parlor
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000456
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kobaien Detached Parlor
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/176676
- Kobaien Co., Ltd. — Company profile and opening hours
- https://kobaien.jp/profile.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
