About the Murano Family Residence Main House
The Murano Family Residence Main House (村野家住宅主屋, Murano-ke Jūtaku Shuoku) is a thatched farmhouse of 1838 in Yanagikubo 4-chome, Higashikurume City, Tokyo, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on January 26, 2011. It is a single-story timber building under a hip-and-gable roof of thatch, with a building area of 274 square meters.
The main house is the heart of the Murano estate and stands in the middle of the grounds facing south. Higashikurume's Board of Education says it is the only Edo-period thatched farmhouse left anywhere in the city.
A 23-Meter Thatched Roof
The Murano main house runs east to west, 23 meters long and 11 meters deep, so its front is more than twice as wide as the house is deep. A single large hip-and-gable roof of thatch covers it all. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes how the calm exterior blends into the woodland around it.
From either end you can read the roof's form clearly: a small triangular gable at the top, with the thatch sweeping down beneath it on all four sides. The thickness of the thatch gives the eaves a soft, rounded edge that tile or sheet-metal roofs never have.
Inside the Plan
The eastern part of the Murano main house holds the earth-floored work area and a former stable, where farm work and the care of horses took place. The western part is the raised living area, laid out on a Rokumadori plan: six rooms in two rows of three, a layout typical of large farmhouses.
At the western end are the formal reception room and its anteroom. The reception room has a Tokonoma alcove, shelves and a Tsukeshoin built-in writing desk, the furnishings that marked a room for receiving guests. With the work spaces at one end and the reception rooms at the other, the house kept labor and hospitality apart under one roof.
Additions and Repairs
The house was built in 1838 and enlarged in 1857. It was repaired again in 1926, 1950 and 1965, and has stayed in use as a home for more than 180 years.
Of the seven registered structures at the Murano Family Residence, only the main house was registered as a model of form; the other six qualified for their contribution to the historic landscape. The quality of its design as a large farmhouse was judged on its own terms.
Seeing the Murano Main House
The Murano Family Residence Main House is a private home, and the grounds are normally closed. On the special guided tours held in spring and autumn, visitors see the main house from outside with a guide, but do not go in (checked September 2026). The best view of the whole roof is from the front garden on the south side. There is no official guidance on photography. The Murano Family Residence page explains how to apply for a tour and how to get there.
Q&A
- When was the Murano Family Residence Main House built?
- It was built in 1838 and enlarged in 1857. Further repairs followed in 1926, 1950 and 1965.
- Does the Murano Family Residence Main House still have a thatched roof?
- Yes. It has a hip-and-gable thatched roof, and Higashikurume's Board of Education describes it as the only Edo-period thatched farmhouse remaining in the city.
- How big is the Murano Family Residence Main House?
- It measures 23 meters by 11 meters, with a building area of 274 square meters, on a single story.
- What is the floor plan of the Murano Family Residence Main House?
- The east end has an earth-floored work area and a former stable. The west end is a raised living area based on a six-room plan, with a formal reception room and anteroom at the far west.
- Can visitors go inside the Murano Family Residence Main House?
- No. The interior is not open. On the spring and autumn special tours, a guide shows visitors the house from outside (checked September 2026).
Basic Information
| Name | Murano Family Residence Main House |
|---|---|
| Location | 4-283 Yanagikubo, Higashikurume City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2011 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 23 m × 11 m; building area 274 m² (single-story timber, thatched) |
| Owner | Kaneshichi Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Normally closed (exterior viewing on spring and autumn special tours) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Murano Family Residence Main House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008419
- Cultural Heritage Online: Murano Family Residence Main House
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/180435
- Higashikurume City: Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings) (Japanese)
- https://www.city.higashikurume.lg.jp/shisei/profile/bunkazai/1002392.html
- Higashikurume City Board of Education: Furusato o Arukō No. 27, Murano Family Residence (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.higashikurume.lg.jp/_res/projects/default_project/_page_/001/001/891/27.pdf
- Murano Family Residence (Kosoen) official website: Autumn 2026 special tour dates (Japanese)
- https://www.kosoen.tokyo/2026/09/2025.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
