The Reception Building at the Front of the Site
The Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building (良寛記念館管理棟) is a reinforced-concrete administration building of the mid-Showa period in Yoneda, Izumozaki Town, Santo District, Niigata Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 1, 2016 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records construction in 1964 and renovations in 1972 and 2005, and describes a single-storey reinforced-concrete building with a building area of 80 square metres; registration number 15-0453.
The Building That Greets Visitors
The Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building is a single-storey block with a gabled roof entered on its long side (Hirairi), standing on the front of the site with its ridge running north to south (Agency for Cultural Affairs). External steps near the north end lead up to the entrance, and the south half holds the reception desk and the office.
Like the exhibition building, it was designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Where the gallery is entered at its gable end, this block turns its long side to the visitor, a contrast that is easy to read as you walk the grounds.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency singles out the veranda that runs round every side except the south-west corner, the gentle roof with its deep eaves and the vertical lattice over the openings, and says the Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building realizes the modern Japanese idiom at which Taniguchi excelled. It was registered as a model of design.
What to Look For
At the Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building, look for the vertical lattice in the openings and the depth of the eaves (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The veranda breaks off only at the south-west corner; finding where it stops is a quick way to understand the plan.
Visiting
The Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building houses the reception desk, so every visit starts here (Agency for Cultural Affairs); the entrance is up the external steps at the north end. No official information on access to the office was found.
Q&A
- What is the Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building used for?
- It holds the reception desk and the office; visits begin here (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building built?
- The Agency records 1964, with renovations in 1972 and 2005.
- What should I look for at the Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building?
- The vertical lattice, the deep eaves and the veranda that stops only at the south-west corner.
- Who designed the Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building?
- Yoshiro Taniguchi, who also designed the exhibition building (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building registered?
- On August 1, 2016 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building (良寛記念館管理棟) |
|---|---|
| Location | 12-2 and other lots, Oaza Yoneda, Izumozaki Town, Santo District, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2016/08/01 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey reinforced concrete, 80 m² |
| Owner | Izumozaki Town |
| Public Access | Used as the reception building (entered on every visit) |
References
- Ryokan Memorial Hall Administration Building (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011111
Last verified: 2026.10.20
