Where the Doctor's Horse Was Kept
The Former Joki Clinic Stable (旧常喜医院馬小屋, Kyū Jōki Iin Umagoya) is a small stable from the late Taisho period (1919 to 1926) on the estate of a family of country doctors in Dotani, Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 5, 2019. It stands in the southeast corner of the plot, near the gate on the south side, with its doorway facing west.
The single-storey wooden building has a tiled roof and a building area of 18 square metres, the smallest of the five registered buildings on the estate. Its date rests on family tradition and the weathering of its timbers.
The Shiga prefectural report states the building's significance simply: it shows that horses were used for house calls. Before cars reached the countryside, this is how the doctor got to his patients.
Why It Matters
The Former Joki Clinic Stable was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as conveying the character of a medical household that served the area for many years.
Stables survive on plenty of farms. The difference here is context. Alongside the clinic, the reception wing and the storehouses, the stable completes the picture of a village doctor's working life, right down to how he travelled.
What to Look For
The stable has a Kirizuma-zukuri roof in Sangawara-buki tiles, entered from the long side in the Hirairi manner. The west front is 3 Ken long, and the central bay, 1 ken wide, is taken up by a sliding door.
That doorway is the reason to come. The door hangs from above rather than running in a floor track, there is no threshold at its foot, and the opening is taller than usual. The Agency for Cultural Affairs suggests these choices were probably made with the horse in mind, so that it could walk in and out without stumbling or ducking its head.
Its position matters as well. Facing west and close to the gate, the horse could be led out at a moment's notice.
Visiting
As of September 2026 the Former Joki Clinic Stable is not regularly open to the public. To arrange a visit, contact the owner in advance through the Maibara City Board of Education, Lifelong Learning Division (cultural property conservation section), telephone 0749-53-5154.
If you do visit, look down at the missing threshold and up at the track from which the door hangs. Ask about photography at the time of your visit.
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Q&A
- When was the Former Joki Clinic Stable built?
- Family tradition and the weathering of its timbers point to the late Taisho period; the national database gives 1919 to 1926.
- What was the Former Joki Clinic Stable used for?
- It housed the horse used for house calls and other trips, a reminder of the days when country doctors rode out to their patients.
- What is unusual about the Former Joki Clinic Stable's doorway?
- The door hangs from above, there is no threshold, and the opening is taller than normal, all apparently to let a horse pass easily.
- Where does the Former Joki Clinic Stable stand on the estate?
- It stands in the southeast corner of the plot, close to the gate on the south side, with its doorway facing west.
- Can visitors see the Former Joki Clinic Stable?
- As of September 2026 it is not regularly open. Contact the Maibara City Board of Education, Lifelong Learning Division, on 0749-53-5154 in advance to ask about visiting.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Joki Clinic Stable |
|---|---|
| Location | 212 Kitakoji, Dotani, Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019/12/5 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single storey, tiled roof; building area 18 square metres |
| Owner | Maibara City |
| Public Access | Not regularly open to the public; enquire with the Maibara City Board of Education (checked 2026/9) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Former Joki Clinic Stable
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013132
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Joki Clinic Stable
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/403068
- Shiga Prefectural Board of Education, report on buildings recommended for registration (August 5, 2019, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/file/attachment/5148198.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.26
