About the Endo Family Residence Detached Room
The Endo Family Residence Detached Room (遠藤家住宅離れ座敷, Endō-ke Jūtaku Hanare-zashiki) is a detached annex built in 1860 at 486 Bōryō, Daisen Town, Tottori Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 18, 2003.
The Endo Family Residence Detached Room stands in line with the front gate, just to its north. It is a single-storey timber building of 31 m² with a gabled pantile roof, and its ridge tablet shows it went up at the same time as the gate. Daisen Town's materials write the name slightly differently, as 離座敷.
A Retirement Annex
The Agency for Cultural Affairs suggests that the Endo Family Residence Detached Room was originally a retirement room, or inkyo-beya: quarters where the previous head of the household lived after handing the family over to his successor. Large old estates often built such an annex apart from the main house.
The Agency does not state this as certain, but the small size and the simple plan described below fit that use well. That the annex was built in 1860 together with the front gate suggests the family reorganized how it lived at the same moment it rebuilt its street front.
Two 6-Mat Rooms on a Central Passage
The Endo Family Residence Detached Room presents two different faces. Its east wall, toward the road, is lined with latticed windows, while the entrance is on the opposite side, facing into the estate. The street sees only windows; people came and went from within the grounds.
Inside, a passage runs straight back from the entrance, with a 6-mat Zashiki room on each side. Two rooms of equal size are simply divided left and right by the passage.
Why the Detached Room Was Registered
The Endo Family Residence Detached Room was registered as a contributor to the historic landscape. The Agency values it as a building that shows how an old family's estate was put together. With a retirement annex alongside the main house, gate and storehouse, the Endo estate gives a concrete picture of how such a household actually lived.
Seeing the Endo Family Residence Detached Room
Because the Endo Family Residence Detached Room fronts the road on the east, its latticed east wall can be seen from the street. The entrance faces the grounds and is not visible. The annex is part of a private home, so stay off the property. Seen side by side with the front gate, the two 1860 buildings invite a comparison of their roof heights and tile work.
No official guidance on photography could be found as of September 2026. The lattice windows open onto living space, so do not lean in to look or photograph through them.
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Q&A
- When was the Endo Family Residence Detached Room built?
- In 1860. Its ridge tablet shows it was built at the same time as the front gate.
- What was the Endo Family Residence Detached Room used for?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs suggests it was originally a retirement room for the previous head of the household.
- What is the layout inside the Endo Family Residence Detached Room?
- A central passage runs back from the entrance, with one 6-mat room on either side.
- How large is the Endo Family Residence Detached Room?
- It is a single-storey timber building with a gabled pantile roof and a floor area of 31 m².
- Can visitors see the Endo Family Residence Detached Room?
- The interior is closed. You can see its latticed east wall from the road, but you cannot enter the grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Endo Family Residence Detached Room (遠藤家住宅離れ座敷) |
|---|---|
| Location | 486 Bōryō, Daisen Town, Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2003 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 31 m² (single-storey timber) |
| Owner | Not disclosed |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior visible from the road on the east) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 遠藤家住宅離れ座敷
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003303
- Cultural Heritage Online: 遠藤家住宅離れ座敷
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/183213
- Daisen Town: Endo Family Residence (main house and four other structures)
- https://www.daisen.jp/10/33/1/s148/u165/
- Daisen Town: Endo Family Residence (town-designated cultural properties)
- https://www.daisen.jp/10/33/1/w930/u165/
Last verified: 2026.09.30
