A Red-Tiled House at the Foot of a Hill in Masuda
The Shimada Family Residence Main House (島田家住宅主屋) is the main house of an old family of 1888 in Otoyoshicho, Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on June 28, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber building, partly two-storey, with a tiled roof and 265 square metres, altered in 1966 and around 1975; registration number 32-0187.
A Large House Laid Out in Three Rows of Rooms
The Shimada Family Residence Main House stands at the southern foot of a low hill in central Masuda (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It is nine and a half bays by six, with a gabled roof of pantiles and an upper floor over the western half only. An earth-floored area lies to the left, the raised floor has eight rooms in three rows, and a toilet wing projects at the back towards the east.
According to Masuda City, the Shimada family is an old family that once also brewed sake, and on the wall directly above the entrance is a plaster relief of the shop mark 叶, shaped like a logo. The plan of eight rooms in three rows reflects the layout of a large farmhouse.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes the striking landscape created by its great red-tiled roof, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the great red-tiled roof and the plaster relief of the 叶 shop mark above the entrance (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Masuda City).
Visiting
According to Masuda City, it is privately owned and still lived in. No official information on public access was found.
Q&A
- When was the house built?
- In 1888 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is it laid out?
- An earth-floored area to the left and eight rooms in three rows.
- Who are the Shimada family?
- An old family that once also brewed sake (Masuda City).
- What is above the entrance?
- A plaster relief of the 叶 shop mark (Masuda City).
- When was the Shimada Family Residence Main House registered?
- On June 28, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Shimada Family Residence Main House (島田家住宅主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | I-454 Otoyoshicho, Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/06/28 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, partly two-storey, tiled roof, 265 m² |
| Owner | Private (Masuda City) |
| Public Access | Private home; no official information on access |
References
- Shimada Family Residence Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011800
- Shimada Family Residence Main House (Masuda City)
- https://www.city.masuda.lg.jp/material/files/group/48/shimadakesyuoku-tourokusyokai.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.23