A Thatched Farmhouse of 1867 in a Mountain Hamlet
The Okkonoki Main House (おっこの木主屋, Okko-no-ki shuoku) is a thatched farmhouse of 1867, at the very end of the Edo period, in the hill hamlet of Wakatochi in Matto-cho, Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 1, 2016 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a two-storey timber house with a thatched roof (temporarily covered in sheet iron) and a building area of 182 square metres, renovated in 2010; registration number 15-0442.
An Old House That Outlived the Earthquakes
According to Niigata Prefecture's hometown-tax page, Wakatochi was shaken at upper 6 on the Japanese intensity scale in the Chuetsu Earthquake of 2004 and badly damaged. As one project of the residents' Wakatochi Future Council, the hamlet bought this old house, which was due to be demolished after two earthquakes, and opened it in June 2010 as the Okkonoki farmhouse guesthouse.
The same page presents the house as a symbol of Wakatochi's history and way of life, used for educational stays by junior high school students from the Tokyo area and for lessons by local schoolchildren.
Why It Was Registered
The Okkonoki Main House was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it shows well the features of the chumon-zukuri farmhouses of the region, with projecting wings attached to the main block.
What to Look For
A tall main block with a hipped thatched roof has a front wing with a gabled roof and its entrance in the gable end (tsumairi), the typical chumon farmhouse plan; a second gabled wing projects at the back (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
There are formal tatami rooms at the west end of the ground floor and on the upper floor of the front wing, with finely made alcoves and built-in desks (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Staying and Visiting
Okkonoki operates as a farmhouse guesthouse. According to the Niigata Prefecture green tourism guide, it has 4 Japanese-style rooms for up to 15 guests, closes on irregular days, and stays should be confirmed when booking. Rice planting, harvesting, straw craft and other activities are offered by reservation.
The address is 2518 Matto-cho, Ojiya City. The nearest station is Ojiya on the JR Joetsu Line, and the nearest expressway exit is Ojiya on the Kan-Etsu Expressway; there is parking for 4 cars. Enquiries go to Okkonoki (0258-86-7998).
Q&A
- When was the Okkonoki Main House built?
- In 1867; it was renovated in 2010 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What kind of building is it?
- A typical chumon farmhouse: a hipped thatched main block with a gabled front wing entered from the gable end (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Why did it become a guesthouse?
- After the Chuetsu Earthquake the hamlet bought the house, which was due to be demolished, and opened it as a guesthouse in 2010 (Niigata Prefecture).
- Can I stay there?
- Yes, it operates as a guesthouse; it closes on irregular days, so check when booking (Niigata Prefecture).
- When was the house registered?
- On August 1, 2016.
Basic Information
| Name | Okkonoki Main House (おっこの木主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2518 Matto-cho, Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2016/08/01 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, two storeys, thatched roof (temporary sheet-iron cover), building area 182 square metres |
| Owner | Not recorded |
| Public Access | Operates as a farmhouse guesthouse (booking required, irregular closing days) |
References
- Okkonoki Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011100
- Okkonoki farmhouse guesthouse (Niigata green tourism, Niigata Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.niigata.lg.jp/green2rhythm/370336.html
- Okkonoki in Wakatochi (Furusato Choice, Niigata Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://www.furusato-tax.jp/gcf/742
Last verified: 2026.10.14