What Is the Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru?
The Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru (沖縄市立ふるさと園旧平田家住宅マチフール) is a stone pigsty-and-toilet built in 1924 that now stands inside the Okinawa Zoo & Museum in Goya, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture; it was entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
It came from the Hirata family homestead and was moved to Furusatoen in 1986. The main house and hinpun beside it belonged to a different household, the Kuba family, so this is the one structure on the site brought from another home. It carries registration number 47-0078 and is owned by Okinawa City.
How a Fūru Worked
A fūru combined a pig pen and a household toilet in one structure, a feature peculiar to Okinawan homes. According to Ocean Expo Park, human waste went to feed the pigs, and leaves of the yuna tree (sea hibiscus) served as toilet paper, which is why the trees were planted close by. The custom is sometimes said to have come from China.
At the Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru the system is laid out in stone. The toilet is at the front, the pig pens lie behind it, and a manure pit sits to the west. You can follow the whole chain, from people to pigs to fertilizer for the fields, within a single stone enclosure.
Why the Hirata Family Machifuru Is Registered
The Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru was registered as a model of form, one of the criteria for Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it preserves the distinctive form of the fūru.
The structure covers 17 square meters. Cut blocks of Ryukyu limestone enclose bays 1.3 meters east to west and 2.2 meters north to south, and toward the rear, on the north side, pig pens covered with arched stone roofs stand side by side from east to west. The tops of the arches are planted. A stone-lined manure pit lies west of the pens, and the toilet is at the front.
Highlights and Visiting the Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru
The arched stone roofs along the north side are the thing to see. Cut stones are set in a curve over the pigs' sleeping area, with plants growing on top, a stone-and-green canopy that kept the animals shaded under the Okinawan sun. Let your eye move from the toilet at the front to the pens behind and the manure pit to the west, and the way the fūru worked becomes concrete.
The machifuru stands outdoors, and anyone admitted to the Okinawa Zoo & Museum can see it during opening hours. The official guidance does not say whether you may step inside the stone enclosure or whether photography is restricted, so follow any signs or staff instructions on site. Admission and transport details are on the Okinawa City Furusatoen page.
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Q&A
- What is the Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru?
- It is a stone structure that served as both a pig pen and a toilet. It was built in 1924 and moved from the Hirata family homestead to Furusatoen at the Okinawa Zoo & Museum in 1986.
- What is the Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru built of?
- It is built of Ryukyu limestone. Cut blocks form the enclosure, and the pig pens are covered with arched stone roofs.
- How large is the Hirata family machifuru at Okinawa City Furusatoen?
- The whole structure covers 17 square meters, and the stone-walled bays measure 1.3 meters east to west by 2.2 meters north to south.
- Does the Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru belong to the same family as the main house?
- No. The main house and hinpun came from the Kuba family, while the machifuru came from the Hirata family. All three were registered on July 25, 2011.
- Can I visit the Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru?
- Yes, during Okinawa Zoo & Museum opening hours. Admission is 1,000 yen for ages 16 and over, 500 yen for students and free for ages 15 and under. The official guidance does not say whether the enclosure can be entered.
Basic Information
| Name | Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-831 Goya, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture (inside Okinawa Zoo & Museum) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2011 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Area 17 m² (stone-walled bays 1.3 m east-west, 2.2 m north-south) |
| Owner | Okinawa City |
| Public Access | Viewable during Okinawa Zoo & Museum opening hours (admission required) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008802
- Cultural Heritage Online: Okinawa City Furusatoen Former Hirata Family Residence Machifuru (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/228443
- Ocean Expo Park: What Makes Okinawan Houses Different (Japanese)
- https://oki-park.jp/kaiyohaku/inst/80/83
- Okinawa Zoo & Museum: Hours and Admission (Japanese)
- https://www.okzm.jp/fee/
Last verified: 2026.10.03
