A Small House Behind the Main House
The Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building (旧戸田家住宅隠居棟, Kyū Toda-ke Jūtaku Inkyo-tō) in Hiro, Hirogawa Town, Wakayama Prefecture, is a 1-story timber cottage built in the early Shōwa period, between 1926 and 1945, in the compound of the Toda family of net makers, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2016.
It stands on its own behind the main house. At 36 square meters it is the smallest of the six buildings. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, tradition holds that the Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building was home mainly to the younger brother of Toda Yasutarō, the head of the family who laid out the compound. In Japanese households an inkyo was the place where a family member who had stepped back from the business lived apart.
Why the Retirement Building Was Registered
The Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building was registered as a model of its building type. The Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education calls it finely made, and the case for registration rests on the care lavished on the roof and eaves of such a modest building.
The plan is about as simple as a house can be. Double-leaf board doors open in the west wall onto a narrow Doma earth floor, half a ken (roughly 90 centimeters) wide, which leads to two rooms of 4 and 6 mats. With the living space pared back this far, the decorative effort went to the outside.
What to Look For
Start with the roof. It is in the Irimoya-zukuri hip-and-gable style, but its surfaces swell gently upward in a mukuri curve. The effect is softer than a straight roof and fits a quiet dwelling.
Copper-sheeted Hisashi eaves run around three sides, all except the south, and their rafters are laid as Ōgidaruki, fanning out toward the corners like the ribs of a folding fan instead of running parallel. The technique is more often seen on temple buildings. Using it on a 36-square-meter cottage shows how much the family cared about this little house, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs credits these eaves with giving the Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building its light appearance.
Visiting the Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building
As of July 2026, the prefectural board of education states that only people using the facility may enter the buildings of the compound. The Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building stands behind the main house and probably cannot be seen from the street.
The official website lists a small, quiet Japanese-style room in a freestanding building of its own (Room 102, 35.73 square meters, for up to two guests); its size and position suggest it is this building. Room bookings close one week ahead. Directions to the compound are on the Former Toda Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- Who lived in the Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, tradition holds that it was home mainly to the younger brother of Toda Yasutarō, who laid out the compound and later served as mayor of Hiro Village.
- When was the Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building built?
- The Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building dates from the early Shōwa period, between 1926 and 1945. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 29, 2016.
- What makes the roof of the Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building distinctive?
- The hip-and-gable roof curves gently upward in a mukuri profile, and copper-sheeted eaves on three sides are carried on fan-shaped ogidaruki rafters, a technique more often seen on temples.
- How is the Toda family retirement building in Hirogawa laid out?
- Double-leaf board doors in the west wall open onto a narrow earth-floored strip, which leads to two rooms of 4 and 6 mats. The building area is 36 square meters.
- Can I visit or stay in the Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building?
- Only overnight guests can enter, and it probably cannot be seen from the street. Room 102 on the official website (35.73 square meters, up to two guests) appears to be this building; book at least one week ahead.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building |
|---|---|
| Location | 1347 Hiro, Hirogawa-cho, Arida-gun, Wakayama Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered on November 29, 2016 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area: 36 m² |
| Owner | Hirogawa Town |
| Public Access | Interior for overnight guests only (reservation required); behind the main house and not visible from the street |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011391
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Toda Family Residence Retirement Building
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/244008
- Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education: Case 2, Former Toda Family Residence (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.wakayama.lg.jp/prefg/500700/d00219867_d/fil/02.pdf
- Hotel Isari and Restaurant/Cafe Shioka official website (Japanese)
- https://shioka-isari.com/
Last verified: 2026.10.07
