A Wakihonjin Inn of the Sanyodo Highway
The Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (旧矢掛脇本陣高草家住宅) is the residence of the secondary official inn of Yakage on the Sanyodo highway of 1764 to 1875 in Yakage, Yakage Town, Oda District, Okayama Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on June 20, 1969 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records nine buildings, the main house of 1833, the front wing of 1845, the front gate of 1873, a storehouse with rooms, and the inner, great, middle, rice and gate storehouses; designation number 01740.
The Wakihonjin of Yakage
The former Takakusa residence was the home of the family that ran the wakihonjin, the secondary official inn, at Yakage, a post town on the Sanyodo highway; its main house and eight other buildings are designated Important Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Apart from the front gate, moved here in the early Meiji years, the buildings and site keep much of the state in which they were laid out in the early 19th century (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The Agency values it for conveying the complete layout of a wakihonjin residence on the Sanyodo highway.
The Nine Buildings
The main house of 1833 is 21.1 by 10.0 metres, partly two storeys, under a stepped gabled roof. The front wing dates from 1845, and the front gate of 1873 is a one-bay gate with a wicket door and a guardroom (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The storehouses are the middle store of 1764, the rice store of 1841, the inner store of 1844, the gate store of 1860, a storehouse with rooms of 1872 and the great store of 1875 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
What to Look For
Look for the main house and front wing facing the old highway and the six storehouses on the site (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The owner is not listed in the Agency record. According to Okayama Tourism, it opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 15:00, closing on weekdays and over the New Year, with admission of 300 yen for high-school age and over and 150 yen for younger pupils; it is about 10 minutes on foot from Yakage Station on the Ibara Railway and has no parking. Prices and hours may change, so check the latest information.
Q&A
- Who were the Takakusa?
- The family that ran the wakihonjin inn at Yakage.
- How many buildings are designated?
- Nine, including the main house.
- When was the main house built?
- In 1833 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I visit?
- Yes, on weekends from 10:00 to 15:00.
- When was the Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On June 20, 1969 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (旧矢掛脇本陣高草家住宅) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1981 Yakage, Yakage Town, Oda District, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1969/06/20 (Showa 44) |
| Quantity | 9 buildings |
| Dimensions | Main house: 21.1 m × 10.0 m, partly two storeys, stepped gable |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | About 10 minutes on foot from Yakage Station on the Ibara Railway (Okayama Tourism) |
References
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/3078
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Okayama Tourism)
- https://www.okayama-kanko.jp/spot/11678
Last verified: 2026.10.26
Cultural Treasures in the Same Area
All are within walking distance in the same area, so we recommend visiting them together.
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Front gate 0.00 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Storehouse room 0.01 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Omoteya 0.01 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Main house 0.02 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Okura 0.03 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Uchikura 0.03 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Nakakura 0.04 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Kadokura 0.04 km
- Former Yakage Wakihonjin Takakusa Family Residence (Yakage Yonekura 0.05 km