About the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill
The Maeda Family Residence Water Mill (前田家住宅水車小屋, Maeda-ke Jūtaku Suishagoya) in Tachibanacho, Imari City, Saga Prefecture, is a late Edo-period mill building, altered in the late Meiji period, that stands on the street at the west side of the estate north of the West Storehouse, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2001.
The Water Mill is a single-story timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 57 square meters. The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period (1751 to 1829), with alterations in the late Meiji period (1868 to 1911).
Why the Maeda Water Mill was registered
The Maeda Family Residence Water Mill was registered as a building that would be hard to reproduce. The agency notes that the mill machinery is gone and the gateway section has been altered, yet the frame and exterior survive well, and it values the building for what it shows about the working facilities of a large farmhouse estate.
Having a mill house inside the estate suggests a household large enough to do its own grain polishing or milling. Work buildings like this survive less often than houses and storehouses, and this one has kept its place in the estate plan.
What to look for at the Maeda Water Mill
The Water Mill is long on its Ketayuki side, with its ridge running north to south as it stretches along the street from the West Storehouse.
The part to notice is the south end. According to the agency, only that end rises to two stories, and its ground floor serves as a gateway into the back yard. The passage from the street to the yard behind the house was built into the mill building itself, giving direct access to the work area where the North Storehouse and Firewood Shed stand.
With the waterwheel gone, little on the outside says mill. From the street, look for the way the long single-story building rises to a second floor at its south end, with the gateway opening below.
Visiting the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill
The interior of the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill is not open, and it is not among the spaces the owners rent out.
Because it faces the street on the west side, the exterior can be seen from the road. The south gateway is an entrance to the estate, so please do not walk through it or stand in it. Opening days and directions are on the Maeda Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Saga
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Maeda Family Residence Water Mill
- [ Yoshinogari Ruins & Arita Pottery Workshop Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period (1751 to 1829), with alterations in the late Meiji period (1868 to 1911). It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 28, 2001.
- Does the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill still have its waterwheel?
- No. The mill machinery has been lost, but the frame and exterior survive well.
- What is the gateway in the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill?
- The south end of the building rises to two stories, and its ground floor is a passage leading into the back yard. This gateway section has been altered.
- Why was the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill registered?
- It was registered as a building that would be hard to reproduce, valued for what it shows about the working facilities of a large farmhouse estate.
- Can I visit the Maeda Family Residence Water Mill?
- The interior is closed, but the building faces the road on the west side, so the exterior can be seen from there.
Basic Information
| Name | Maeda Family Residence Water Mill |
|---|---|
| Location | 4028 Tachibanacho, Imari City, Saga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered August 28, 2001 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 57 square meters |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Interior closed (exterior visible from the road) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs database: Maeda Family Residence Water Mill
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002320
- Cultural Heritage Online: Maeda Family Residence Water Mill
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/187050
- Imari City: Maeda Family Residence (Japanese)
- https://www.city.imari.lg.jp/2977.htm
- Saga Prefecture: cultural properties guide map for Imari and Arita (Japanese, PDF)
- https://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/kiji0031780/3_1780_24_nisimatu_guidmap.pdf
- Maeda Family Residence: guide to the house (Japanese)
- https://www.maedake-jyutaku.com/items
Last verified: 2026.10.10
