A Shrine Priests' House in Hiwa
The Araki Family Residence (荒木家住宅) is a thatched house of the mid-Edo period at Moriwaki, Hiwa-cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, home of the Araki family, hereditary priests of Moriwaki Hachimangu, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on April 25, 1968. Its designated name refers to the former town of Hiwa in Hiba District (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Shobara City).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as 20.6 metres by 10.9 metres under a hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) thatched roof. Shobara City says its exact date is unknown, but its structure suggests the mid-Edo period, between the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century.
Home of the Moriwaki Hachimangu Priests
According to Shobara City, the Araki family have lived here since the end of the medieval period, in the 16th century, serving as priests of Moriwaki Hachimangu.
The house has a takama, a room with a raised floor where the gods are enshrined, which marks it as the home of a priestly family (Shobara City). The Agency for Cultural Affairs likewise notes the features of a shrine family in its plan.
Why It Was Designated
The Araki Family Residence was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1968. The Agency for Cultural Affairs values it as a well-preserved house of around the early 18th century with a refined design and a plan reflecting a priestly family, a fine example of an old Chugoku house.
Shobara City also has the Horie Family Residence in Takano-cho, another farmhouse designated an Important Cultural Property; with Entsuji's main hall, these are the city's nationally designated buildings (Shobara City).
What to Look For
Half of the Araki Family Residence is taken up by the doma earth floor for farm work and the daya stable for cattle; the rest is five raised rooms (Shobara City).
The posts were shaped with a chona adze (Shobara City). Under the great thatched roof, it combines farm work, cattle and the rites of a mountain priest's household.
Visiting the Araki Family Residence
According to the Shobara tourism guide, permission is needed to see the interior, but the exterior can be viewed. The address is 786 Moriwaki, Hiwa-cho, Shobara City; enquiries to the Shobara City lifelong learning section (0824-73-1189).
Q&A
- When was the Araki Family Residence built?
- The exact date is unknown; its structure suggests the late 17th to early 18th century (Shobara City).
- Who are the Araki family?
- Priests of Moriwaki Hachimangu who have lived here since the 16th century (Shobara City).
- What is the takama in the Araki Family Residence?
- A raised room where the gods are enshrined, a sign of a priestly household (Shobara City).
- Can you visit the Araki Family Residence?
- The exterior can be viewed; the interior needs permission (Shobara tourism guide).
- When was the Araki Family Residence designated?
- On April 25, 1968.
Basic Information
| Name | Araki Family Residence (Hiwa, Shobara) (荒木家住宅) |
|---|---|
| Location | 786 Moriwaki, Hiwa-cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1968/4/25 (Showa 43) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 20.6 metres by 10.9 metres, irimoya roof, thatched |
| Owner | Not listed in the national record |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable (interior by permission) |
References
- Araki Family Residence (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/3197
- Tangible cultural properties (Shobara City)
- https://www.city.shobara.hiroshima.jp/main/education/shogaigakushu/cat02/02/post_187.html
- Araki Family Residence (Shobara tourism guide)
- https://www.shobara-info.com/spot/2939
Last verified: 2026.10.08