What the Shimizu Family Residence Main House Is
The Shimizu Family Residence Main House (清水家住宅主屋, Shimizu-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is a late Meiji-era timber house in Kawanabe, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2009. It stands toward the north of the estate, facing south, under a hip-and-gable roof in the Irimoya-zukuri form covered with pantiles, and has a building area of 216 square metres. Okayama Prefecture's heritage notes date it by family tradition to 1897 to 1906, and it was remodelled around 1970.
The house does not stand alone. On the east, a roof sloping down from the main house links it to the barn, and on the west a guest wing, the hanare zashiki, is attached. The main block sits in the middle with roofs reaching out to either side.
Inside, the plan follows a clear division. Seen from the front, the right-hand (east) side is an earth-floored Doma, a working space at ground level. The left-hand (west) side has raised timber floors, with rooms arranged in two rows, front and back. At the west end of the front row is the formal Zashiki room, fitted with a toko alcove (the Tokonoma) and shelving. The room for receiving guests was placed as far from the working floor as the house allows.
Listed as a Model of Architectural Form
Of the four listed buildings at the Shimizu Family Residence, only the Shimizu Family Residence Main House was registered under the criterion of serving as a model of architectural form (register no. 33-0230). The barn, storehouse, and gate and well house were listed for their contribution to the landscape. The main house was judged on the quality of its own construction.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out the roof framing, with beams set in a grid. Okayama Prefecture goes further: over the open ceiling of the doma, thick logs that still keep their natural curve are laid across one another in a lattice. Rather than sawing timber straight, the builders used the bend in each log and let those logs carry the weight of the roof, so that structure and visual drama are the same thing.
The layout of doma, two rows of floored rooms and a formal room at the end is recorded in detail in the official description as well. Even after the remodelling of around 1970, both the frame and the plan of the Shimizu Family Residence Main House still show the qualities it was listed for.
What to Look For
If you are shown inside, stand in the doma and look up. Above you, in the open roof space of the Shimizu Family Residence Main House, heavy logs run in both directions, bent just as they grew. Unlike milled beams, their curves become the character of the ceiling.
Follow the points where the beams cross and you will see the grid lining up over the earthen floor. Trace which log rests on which and you can follow the roof load down to the posts.
Outside, the south front shows off the full size of the irimoya roof. Compare the roof dropping low toward the barn on the east with the guest wing roof on the west, and the arrangement of the Shimizu Family Residence Main House, a main block flanked by its dependent buildings, is clear at a glance.
Visiting the Main House
The Shimizu Family Residence Main House is still a family home. Okayama Prefecture lists the Shimizu Family Residence as open to visitors, but it has not published how much of the main house interior may be seen, or if you can enter the doma to view the beam lattice. The same goes for photography, so ask about both when you phone ahead (checked 25 September 2026).
For the exterior, the south front gives the best overall view. Directions to the estate and how to arrange a visit are on the Shimizu Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shimizu Family Residence Main House
- [ Kurashiki Bikan District & Korakuen Garden Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Shimizu Family Residence Main House built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Meiji era. Okayama Prefecture records a family tradition placing it between 1897 and 1906. It was remodelled around 1970.
- What is the highlight of the Shimizu Family Residence Main House?
- The roof frame over the earth-floored doma, where thick, naturally curved logs are laid in a grid. It is the feature the official descriptions emphasise.
- Can I go inside the Shimizu Family Residence Main House?
- The estate can be visited free of charge by phoning ahead, but the extent of interior access has not been published. Ask when you call.
- Why is the Shimizu Family Residence Main House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 28 April 2009 as a model of architectural form. It is the only one of the four Shimizu buildings listed under that criterion.
- Is the Shimizu Family Residence Main House one storey or two?
- The structure field of the national database says single storey, while its description calls it a tsushi 2-storey house. A Tsushi-nikai is a low attic floor under the roof, and such houses are often counted as single-storey.
Basic Information
| Name | Shimizu Family Residence Main House (清水家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 889 Kawanabe Furuyashiki, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), register no. 33-0230 |
| Year Designated | Registered 28 April 2009 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey (tsushi 2-storey in the description), tiled roof, building area 216 square metres |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Visits free of charge by prior arrangement. Interior access to be confirmed |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Shimizu Family Residence Main House (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007691
- Cultural Heritage Online, Shimizu Family Residence Main House (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/187593
- Okayama Prefecture, Shimizu Family Residence heritage sheet (Japanese, PDF)
- https://www.pref.okayama.jp/uploaded/attachment/261009.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.25
