About the Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor
The Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor (坂口家住宅離れ及び渡廊下, Sakaguchi-ke Jūtaku Hanare oyobi Watarirōka) is a single-story wooden annex built in 1926 and linked to the main house by a corridor along the west street of the Sakaguchi Family Residence in Odakamachi, Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, and it was registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
The detached house itself is nearly square, 6.1 meters east to west and 6.9 meters north to south, and the registered structure has a building area of 57 square meters including the corridor. The corridor is 14 meters long and has a toilet along the way.
Why the Sakaguchi Detached House Was Registered
The Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor was registered with the Main House and three other structures as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property that contributes to the historic landscape. Its registration number is 31-0143, dated April 28, 2009.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs pointed to two things. One is the varied exterior of the annex, modest in size but lively in form. The other is that the west face of the corridor doubles as the compound's outer wall, keeping the traditional look of the street. Because a building wall serves as the street wall, the annex works both as a private inner room and as part of the west streetscape.
What to Look For at the Sakaguchi Detached House
Hip-and-gable roofs meeting in a T
The Sakaguchi Detached House is roofed with two Irimoya-zukuri hip-and-gable roofs that meet in a T shape, ringed by a Geya pent roof. On a building only about 6 meters square, two gable ends face different directions, so the roof changes character as you move around it. Next to the tall roof of the Main House, its eaves sit low, in keeping with its small scale.
A corridor that is also a wall
The 14-meter corridor from the Main House to the annex runs along the west street. From outside, its west face reads simply as the compound wall, and a passer-by would hardly guess a corridor lies behind it. Using one wall both for circulation and for the street boundary is a sensible solution on a tight town lot.
A Taisho-era addition
The Main House dates from 1892, while the annex and corridor were built in 1926; Tottori Prefecture describes the annex as a Taisho-period addition. The family seems to have reworked the west side of the property around the same time as the Taisho remodeling of the Main House.
Viewing the Sakaguchi Detached House
The interior of the Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor is not open to the public (checked October 2, 2026). The side visible from outside faces the west street, where the corridor wall continues as a fence line and the annex roof appears to its south. Looking north from the southern end of the street, the roofs of the annex, the corridor, and the Main House line up one behind another.
Viewing is from the road only, so please keep photography to the street. Directions are on the Sakaguchi Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Tottori
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor
- [ Tottori Sand Dunes & Camel Riding Experience ]
Q&A
- When was the Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1926. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
- How large is the Sakaguchi Detached House?
- The annex is a single-story wooden building of 6.1 by 6.9 meters, and the corridor is 14 meters long. Together they cover 57 square meters.
- What is distinctive about the roof of the Sakaguchi Detached House?
- Two hip-and-gable roofs meet in a T shape, with a pent roof running around them, giving a small building a varied outline.
- Why is the Sakaguchi corridor hard to spot from the street?
- Its west face doubles as the compound's outer wall, so from the street it looks like a wall. The Agency for Cultural Affairs values this as part of the traditional street scene.
- Can visitors see the Sakaguchi Detached House?
- The interior is closed, but the exterior can be seen from the west street.
Basic Information
| Name | Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor |
|---|---|
| Location | 13 Odakamachi, Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2009 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Annex 6.1 meters east-west by 6.9 meters north-south, corridor 14 meters long, building area 57 square meters |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Interior closed (exterior visible from the street) |
References
- Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007659
- Sakaguchi Family Residence Detached House and Connecting Corridor (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/144921
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties: Sakaguchi Family Residence (Yonago City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.yonago.lg.jp/36441.htm
- Sakaguchi Family Residence (Tottori Cultural Properties Navi, Tottori Prefecture, in Japanese)
- https://db.pref.tottori.jp/bunkazainavi.nsf/bunkazai_web_view/2E80ED6BA3408FCE4925796F0008007E
Last verified: 2026.10.02
