About the Baiso Annex
The Baiso Annex (梅荘別館) is a single-storey timber reception wing north of the main building at the Baiso villa in Kojima-Kayo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, an early Meiji building moved here around 1907, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 26, 2015.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a single-storey timber building with thatched and tiled roofs and a building area of 116 square metres; registration number 33-0268, dated the early Meiji period, moved here around 1907. No owner is listed in the national record, and Kurashiki City gives it as privately owned. Baiso was built as a villa by Nozaki Bukichiro, grandson of the salt-field magnate Nozaki Buzaemon, to commemorate victory in the Russo-Japanese War (Kurashiki City).
Why It Was Registered
The Baiso Annex was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a relaxed, unceremonious space. According to Kurashiki City, it is said to be an early Meiji building moved to the site, making it the oldest of Baiso's five buildings.
What to Look For
The Baiso Annex lies north of the main building along a covered corridor. It combines a hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) thatched reception wing with a hipped, pantile-roofed side wing (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The reception wing is a pair of connected rooms of 8 and 6 tatami, and under the thatched eaves the round-log rafters are fanned out. Look up at the eaves to see them radiate. The side wing was originally a dressing room (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting the Baiso Annex
Baiso is privately owned, and its main building is used as a restaurant (Kurashiki City). We found no official information on whether the Baiso Annex is open inside. Hours and directions are on the Baiso page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Baiso Annex
- [ Kurashiki Bikan District & Korakuen Garden Tours ]
Q&A
- How old is the Baiso Annex?
- It is an early Meiji building moved to Baiso around 1907.
- What should I look for at the Baiso Annex?
- The paired 8- and 6-mat rooms and the round-log rafters fanned out under the thatched eaves.
- When was the Baiso Annex registered as a cultural property?
- On March 26, 2015.
- Can you go inside the Baiso Annex?
- The main building is open as a restaurant, but there is no official information on access to the annex.
- Who built the Baiso Annex?
- Nozaki Bukichiro, grandson of the salt-field magnate Nozaki Buzaemon, as part of the Baiso villa commemorating the Russo-Japanese War victory (Kurashiki City).
Basic Information
| Name | Baiso Annex (梅荘別館) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1200 Daimyojin, Kojima-Kayo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2015/3/26 (Heisei 27) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | A single-storey timber building with thatched and tiled roofs and a building area of 116 square metres |
| Owner | Private (not listed in the national record) |
| Public Access | No official information on interior access (main building is a restaurant) |
References
- Baiso Annex (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010506
- Baiso main building and four others (Kurashiki City, Cultural Properties Division)
- https://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp/24989.htm
Last verified: 2026.10.06
