About the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn
The Kusumoto Family Residence Barn (楠本家住宅納屋, Kusumoto-ke Jūtaku Naya) is a 1-story wooden barn from the late Edo period (1830 to 1867) at the southern edge of the Kusumoto Family Residence estate in Shimizu, Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
The barn fills the whole southern side of the plot, its ridge running east to west. It is a long, narrow building, 12.5 Ken along the ridge (Ketayuki) by 2 ken across (Harima), under a hip-and-gable roof (Irimoya-zukuri) of Sangawara-buki pantiles, with a building area of 89 square meters. It is the oldest of the four registered Kusumoto buildings and, seen from the main house on the old Kōya Kaidō road, the farthest back.
Why the Kusumoto Barn was registered
The Kusumoto Family Residence Barn was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. What interests the Agency for Cultural Affairs is the south side, facing the back lane: the wall is finished in the plastered Ōkabe manner, with vertical boarding along the base and the eaves sealed in plaster, which the agency says gives the lane a tidy, finished look.
A barn is usually a working building for tools, firewood and the like. Even so, the Kusumoto barn was finished with care on the one side that passers-by would see. Even at the back of the estate, a wall on the street seems to have been treated as part of the street.
What to look for at the Kusumoto Barn
The interesting thing about the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn is that its two long walls are built differently. The north wall, facing into the estate, is in the Shinkabe manner, with the posts left showing. The south wall, on the lane, is okabe, the posts buried in plaster, with boards at the base and plaster carried under the eaves. One building shows one face to the household and another to the street.
Toward the east end of the south wall is a gateway from the lane into the estate. East of it is a firewood shed, and to the west the barn is divided into three rooms, so fuel storage and storerooms sit on either side of the entrance.
At 12.5 ken, the barn is more than three times the length of the storehouse on the same estate, at 3.5 ken. Walking the lane, you follow the plastered eaves and boarded base for the whole run, and can see how the Kusumoto barn itself forms the southern boundary of the property.
Visiting the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn
The Kusumoto Family Residence Barn is part of a private home and its interior is not open. Its south side, with the plaster and boarding, can be seen from the lane.
Please do not step through the gateway, and keep photographs to the exterior from the lane. The layout of the estate and directions are on the Kusumoto Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn built?
- It dates from the late Edo period (1830 to 1867) and is the oldest of the four registered Kusumoto buildings. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 12, 2005.
- How large is the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn?
- It is 12.5 ken by 2 ken with an east-west ridge, a 1-story building with a hip-and-gable pantile roof. The building area is 89 square meters.
- How do the north and south walls of the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn differ?
- The north wall, facing into the estate, shows its posts (shinkabe). The south wall on the lane hides them under plaster (okabe), with boarding at the base and plastered eaves to finish the street view.
- What is inside the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn?
- A gateway opens toward the east end of the south wall. East of it is a firewood shed, and the part to the west is divided into three rooms.
- Can I visit the Kusumoto Family Residence Barn?
- The interior is closed because it is part of a private home, but the south side can be seen from the lane.
Basic Information
| Name | Kusumoto Family Residence Barn (楠本家住宅納屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 123 Shimizu, Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005-07-12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 89 square meters |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Kusumoto Family Residence Barn
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004815
- Cultural Heritage Online: Kusumoto Family Residence Barn
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/151425
- Wakayama Cultural Properties (Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education, Cultural Heritage Division): Kusumoto Family Residence
- https://wakayama-bunkazai.jp/bunkazai/bunkazai-spot-407/
Last verified: 2026.10.10
