Morimoto Family Residence Barn

The Barn That Frames the Front Yard

The Morimoto Family Residence Barn (森本家住宅納屋, Morimoto-ke Jūtaku Naya) is a 2-storey farm building in Sakamoto, Katsuura Town, Tokushima Prefecture, built in the Meiji era (1868–1912) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 26 March 2015.

It stands southwest of the main house with its front to the east: a timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 74 square metres. Low for a building of 2 storeys, the Morimoto Family Residence Barn wraps around the front of the main house and gives the yard its edge.

Why It Was Registered

The Barn was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that by enclosing the space in front of the main house it pulls the whole estate together. Without it, the yard before the thatched house would simply open out onto the valley.

The roof changes character from one end to the other: gabled Kirizuma-zukuri on the north, hip-and-gable Irimoya-zukuri on the south, all in round tile. Lean-to Geya roofs run along the east and south sides, and a bath is attached at the northeast corner, a reminder that working buildings often absorbed household functions too.

What to Look For

A deliberately low profile

The eaves are kept low for a 2-storey building, perhaps so that the Barn would not overshadow the thatched main house it faces.

Rooms stacked for work

The ground floor is split into two rooms of about equal size; upstairs, a large room on the north side sits beside a smaller one. Tools and harvest below, space for work or lodging above is the likely division.

Two roof ends

Gabled at one end, hipped at the other: the more elaborate irimoya end faces south, the side seen from the house, which may have been a matter of appearance.

Visiting the Barn

The Morimoto Family Residence Barn stands inside a private estate, facing the front yard behind the gate, and no public opening has been announced. It cannot be approached without entering the grounds, so please do not. Directions are on the Morimoto Family Residence page.