A Meiji Merchant House on the Coast Road
The Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Main House (塩谷定好写真記念館主屋) is a two-storey timber merchant house built in 1906 in Akasaki, Kotoura Town, Tottori Prefecture, which in 2015 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it facing north onto the road that runs east to west along the coast. It is two storeys under a gabled roof of pantiles, with a building area of 192 square metres, and was renovated in 2014.
Sources differ on its orientation: the Agency calls it an east-west ridged building, while Tottori Prefecture and Kotoura Town describe it as gable-entried. The museum records that Kyujiro, the fifth head of the family, built this main residence.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that the Main House keeps its original form well and is an important presence in the streetscape. It was registered under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape.
The walls are white plaster, and fine lattices run wide across both floors of the front. There are many reception rooms upstairs as well as down, and the Agency calls their fittings, in choice timbers and mother-of-pearl inlay, of high quality.
What to Look For
From the road, the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Main House shows lattices spread across the ground and upper floors; together with the plaster walls they set the character of the front.
Inside, compare the rooms. Tottori Prefecture says each uses different fine woods and mother-of-pearl work to give it a distinct character, and Kotoura Town points to mother-of-pearl inlay on the boards of a staggered shelf.
Visiting the Main House
The Main House is part of the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum and can be visited during opening hours with an admission ticket. The latticed front can also be seen from the road on the north side.
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Q&A
- When was the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Main House built?
- It was built in 1906.
- What should I look for at the Main House?
- The fine lattices across both floors of the front and the reception rooms fitted with choice timbers and mother-of-pearl inlay.
- Can I visit the Main House?
- Yes, as part of the museum; it closes on Tuesdays and admission is 300 yen for adults.
- When was the Main House registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 17 November 2015.
- Who built the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Main House?
- According to the museum, Kyujiro, the fifth head of the Shiotani family.
Basic Information
| Name | Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Main House (塩谷定好写真記念館主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1561 Akasaki, Kotoura Town, Tohaku District, Tottori Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2015/11/17 (Heisei 27) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber, tiled roof, building area 192 square metres |
| Owner | Shiotani Teiko Photo Project (NPO) |
| Public Access | Open as the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum (closed Tuesdays, adults 300 yen) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Main House (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010882
- Cultural Heritage Online: Main House (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/213807
- Kotoura Town: Registration of the Museum (Japanese)
- https://www.town.kotoura.tottori.jp/docs/2015071700023/
- Tottori Prefecture Cultural Properties Navi (Japanese)
- https://db.pref.tottori.jp/bunkazainavi.nsf/bunkazai_web_view/FF1DA5EDF799B4BE49257F6C001B6120?OpenDocument=
- Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum: About Shiotani Teiko (Japanese)
- https://teiko.jp/profile.php
Last verified: 2026.09.27
