What Is the Former Otani Family Residence Barn?
The Former Otani Family Residence Barn (旧大谷家住宅納屋, Kyū Ōtani-ke Jūtaku Naya) is a two-story timber outbuilding built in 1943 in Mizuochi, Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) on 26 March 2015. Its building area is 58 m².
It stands in front of the main house and faces it directly across the yard. It was added eight years after the main house was rebuilt in 1935, during the war years.
A Barn Built to Face the House
The Former Otani Family Residence Barn measures 5 Ken by 2.5 ken. It has a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) pantile roof (Sangawara-buki), with its entrance on the long side (Hirairi) and a lean-to Geya on the north.
The main house presents its gable end to the yard; the barn answers with its long eave. That pairing of a tall triangle and a long horizontal line, facing each other across open ground, sets the character of the whole courtyard. The Agency for Cultural Affairs mentions this facing position first, and describes the barn as a carefully built outbuilding that shows how estates in this area were arranged.
The care taken over a secondary building is part of its value. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Two Wall Finishes, Two Rooms per Floor
The walls of the Former Otani Family Residence Barn combine two finishes: white Shikkui plaster and horizontal clapboard (Shitami-itabari). Walk along the facade and you can trace where one finish gives way to the other.
Inside, each floor is split into two rooms, and each room was given a different interior finish. This was a barn with rooms fitted out for particular uses, not a bare store.
Today Ōtani-ke Naya houses the Otani Memorial Room, which traces the careers of the brothers Otani Yonetaro and Otani Takejiro. Before going in, stand by the main house entrance and look back: seeing how the barn's eave line meets the gable of the house makes the layout of the estate easy to grasp.
Visiting the Barn
The Former Otani Family Residence Barn serves as the Otani Memorial Room, and museum admission covers the interior. It is a few steps across the yard from the main house.
For a straight view of the long entrance facade, stand near the main house entrance. The north lean-to is at the back, so walk around the side to see it.
Oyabe City's official pages do not mention a photography policy. If you want to take photos in the exhibition room, check at reception first.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Toyama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Otani Family Residence Barn
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Q&A
- Can I go inside the Former Otani Family Residence Barn?
- Yes. The Former Otani Family Residence Barn holds the Otani Memorial Room and is open with museum admission.
- When was the Former Otani Family Residence Barn built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1943.
- Where does the Former Otani Family Residence Barn stand on the estate?
- In front of the main house, facing it directly across the yard.
- What is distinctive about the walls of the Former Otani Family Residence Barn?
- It uses both white plaster and horizontal clapboard on its exterior.
- When was the Former Otani Family Residence Barn registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 26 March 2015, registration number 16-0102.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Otani Family Residence Barn |
|---|---|
| Location | 35 Mizuochi, Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2015 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 58 m² (two-story timber; 5 ken by 2.5 ken) |
| Owner | Oyabe City |
| Public Access | Open as the Oyabe City Otani Museum (interior accessible as the Otani Memorial Room) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Otani Family Residence Barn (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010435
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Otani Family Residence Barn
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/211284
- Otani Museum exhibition rooms (Oyabe City)
- https://www.city.oyabe.toyama.jp/bunkasports/1003003/1003024/1003025.html
- Former Otani Family Residence Barn (Toyama Cultural Heritage)
- https://toyama-bunkaisan.jp/search/2530/
- Oyabe City Otani Museum (Oyabe City)
- https://www.city.oyabe.toyama.jp/bunkasports/1003003/1003024/1004676.html
Last verified: 2026.09.23
