The Koizumi Family Residence Barn
The Koizumi Family Residence Barn (小泉家住宅納屋, Koizumi-ke Jūtaku Naya) is a single-storey timber outbuilding of about 1907 facing the main house from the east on the Koizumi estate in Gokasho Yamamoto-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2015.
It measures four and a half bays by one and a half, with a building area of 26 square meters, framed with exposed posts under a north-south gabled roof of pantiles. The front wall running from the main gate turns south at the east end and meets this barn.
Why the Barn Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the Koizumi Family Residence Barn shapes the east side of the estate, joined as it is to the front wall.
We also know exactly how it was used. The whole floor is earthen. The northern section, one and a half bays long, was a store that doubled as a rice-polishing room; the southern three bays held brushwood for fuel. Even a merchant household polished its own rice and stocked its own firewood.
What to Look For at the Barn
On the Koizumi Family Residence Barn, look at the boat planks along the base of the walls. Here they run vertically, the same way as on the front wall.
Two doorways open on the west side, toward the main house: one for the store and rice room, one for the fuel store, each a short walk across the courtyard.
Seeing the Barn
The Koizumi Family Residence Barn is on private property and not open. Because it stands on the east edge and joins the front wall, part of the exterior may be visible from the road. Please look from the road only.
Q&A
- When was the Koizumi Family Residence Barn built?
- The Koizumi Family Residence Barn dates from about 1907.
- When was the Koizumi Family Residence Barn registered?
- The Koizumi Family Residence Barn was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 4, 2015 (registration number 25-0370).
- What was the Koizumi Family Residence Barn used for?
- It has an earthen floor; the northern section served as a store and rice-polishing room, and the southern section held brushwood for fuel.
- What are the walls of the Koizumi Family Residence Barn like?
- Timber-framed with exposed posts, the lower walls are clad in vertical boat planks, and there are two doorways on the west side.
- Can I visit the Koizumi Family Residence Barn?
- No. The Koizumi Family Residence Barn is on private property and not open. We found no public-opening notice as of September 2026.
Basic Information
| Name | Koizumi Family Residence Barn |
|---|---|
| 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 | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 26 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: 小泉家住宅納屋 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010636
Last verified: 2026.09.27
