The Koizumi Family Residence Main House
The Koizumi Family Residence Main House (小泉家住宅主屋, Koizumi-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is a two-storey timber house of about 1844 in Gokasho Yamamoto-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture; it was moved to its present site in 1907 and was entered on Japan's national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2015.
It covers 142 square meters. The house stands toward the east end of the estate's north side and faces east, under a gabled roof of interlocking pantiles with eaves carried around all four sides. It was remodeled in about 1915, and a short wall is registered with it.
Of the fourteen registered structures on the Koizumi estate, the main house is the largest and among the oldest. The zashiki reception wing joins its southeast corner and the Koyagura storehouse stands against its north side, so much of the compound is literally attached to it.
Why the Main House Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out the Koizumi Family Residence Main House for its generous scale, suited to the home of an Omi merchant, and calls it the core of the estate's appearance.
On the ground floor, an earthen-floored work area (doma) runs along the north side, and the living space is divided into four regular rooms in a square grid, the plan known as yon-ma-dori. Upstairs there are proper rooms with formal alcove fittings. The upper floor was finished well enough to receive people.
The building also carries three layers of history: late Edo construction, relocation in 1907 and Taisho-era remodeling.
What to Look For at the Koizumi Main House
The first thing the Koizumi Family Residence Main House offers is roof. A broad gable rises in the middle and a lower skirt of eaves wraps around it on every side, so the building reads as two stacked roofs before you notice the walls at all.
Inside, the contrast between the earthen doma and the four matted rooms tells you how the house worked: cooking and chores on one side, family and business on the other. Formal entertaining was given to the separate zashiki and new zashiki wings, leaving Koizumi's main house as the everyday center of the household.
Seeing the Koizumi Main House
The Koizumi Family Residence Main House is a private home, and its interior is not open. Because it faces inward onto the grounds, it cannot be seen whole from the street. Directions and visiting notes for the estate are on the Koizumi Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Koizumi Family Residence Main House built?
- The Koizumi Family Residence Main House dates from about 1844. It was moved to its present site in 1907 and remodeled in about 1915.
- When was the Koizumi Family Residence Main House registered as a cultural property?
- The Koizumi Family Residence Main House was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 4, 2015, under registration number 25-0360.
- What is the floor plan of the Koizumi Family Residence Main House?
- The ground floor has an earthen doma along the north side and four matted rooms in a grid, the yon-ma-dori plan. The upper floor also has formal rooms.
- Can visitors go inside the Koizumi Family Residence Main House?
- No. The Koizumi Family Residence Main House is a private home and its interior is not open. We found no public-opening notice as of September 2026.
- How big is the Koizumi Family Residence Main House?
- It is a two-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 142 square meters.
Basic Information
| Name | Koizumi Family Residence Main House |
|---|---|
| Location | 270 Gokasho Yamamoto-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered August 4, 2015 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 142 square meters, with wall |
| Owner | Koizumi Shoten Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private property; no entry to the grounds) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 小泉家住宅主屋 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010626
- Cultural Heritage Online: 小泉家住宅主屋
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/284940
Last verified: 2026.09.27
