What Is the Tomita Family Residence Annex?
The Tomita Family Residence Annex (冨田家住宅離れ, Tomita-ke Jūtaku Hanare) is a small living wing at the back of a prosperous farming estate in Takayamacho, Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture; it was built in the late Meiji period and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 29 November 2016. It is a single-storey timber building covering 28 square meters.
It stands on the northern side of the estate, joined at its southwest corner to the north tool storehouse, and faces the main house across a small garden.
A Six-Mat Room, a Bath and a Toilet
The Tomita Family Residence Annex has a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof in Sangawara-buki pan tiles. Its outer walls are left at the nakanuri stage of earthen plastering, without the white finishing coat, so they show a muted earth color quite unlike the white storehouses and gatehouse.
Inside, from east to west, are a six-mat room, a bath and a toilet. There are no formal fittings for guests; this is a room for sleeping and daily routines. It was renovated around 1970.
An Inward-Facing Space
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Tomita Family Residence Annex as an inward-facing living space extending from the main house, whose plain construction records everyday life in the Meiji era. If the gate and reception wing on the southern and western walls are the face the estate shows to the world, the annex belongs to its private side.
Linked to the north storehouse and facing the main house across the garden, it shows how the northern part of the estate was set aside for the family. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Visiting the Tomita Family Residence Annex
The Tomita Family Residence Annex is part of a private home and its interior is closed.
It stands at the back of the estate behind the main house and is unlikely to be visible from outside. Please stay off the grounds and view the estate only from the public road.
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Q&A
- What is the Tomita Family Residence Annex?
- It is a small late-Meiji living wing, single-storey and 28 square meters, facing the main house across a garden at the back of the estate.
- When was the Tomita Family Residence Annex registered?
- On 29 November 2016, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property No. 29-0246, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- What is inside the Tomita Family Residence Annex?
- A six-mat room, a bath and a toilet in a row from east to west. It was renovated around 1970.
- What does the Tomita Family Residence Annex look like?
- It has a gabled pan-tile roof and earth-plastered walls left without a white finishing coat.
- Can I see the Tomita Family Residence Annex?
- The interior is closed, and because it stands behind the main house it is hard to see from outside the estate.
Basic Information
| Name | Tomita Family Residence Annex (冨田家住宅離れ) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3830 Takayamacho, Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), No. 29-0246 |
| Year Designated | Registered 29 November 2016 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 28 square meters |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Closed to the public (no entry to the grounds) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Tomita Family Residence Annex (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011386
- Tomita Family Residence Annex (Cultural Heritage Online, in Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/288143
- Minutes of the 172nd Cultural Properties Subcommittee, Council for Cultural Affairs, 15 July 2016 (in Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkashingikai/bunkazai/16/pdf/gijiyoshi_172.pdf
- Ikoma City Cultural Properties Protection Council, meeting materials (in Japanese)
- https://www.city.ikoma.lg.jp/cmsfiles/contents/0000000/562/siryou.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.28
