A Kyoto-Style Townhouse Front on the Ise Kaido
The Misoya Annex Main House (みそや別館主屋) is the main house of a kimono shop on the Ise Kaido road of 1884 in Hashimoto, Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 17, 2004 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey timber house with a tiled roof and a building area of 126 square metres; registration number 30-0051.
The Look of a Kyoto Townhouse
The main house of the Misoya Annex is the main house of a kimono shop facing south onto the Ise Kaido road; it is two storeys high with gabled roofs of plain tiles laid in a U shape, enclosing a courtyard in the west half in the manner of a front-shop townhouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Upstairs is a sukiya-style tatami room without lintel rails, with an elegant alcove and shelves (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The gently curved roof and the lattice-like windows of the upper front skilfully create the look of a Kyoto townhouse. According to Wakayama Prefecture, Misoya began making miso in Hashimoto in 1495 and opened as a kimono merchant under the shop name Misoya in 1865.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes how skilfully it creates the look of a Kyoto townhouse, and registered it as a model of design.
What to Look For
Look for the gently curved roof and the lattice-like windows of the upper front (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The owner is not given in the Agency record. No official information on public access was found. The main house, Kamigura and detached room, and Shimogura are introduced together on the Misoya Annex page.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1884 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What was it originally?
- The main house of a kimono shop on the Ise Kaido.
- What marks its exterior?
- A gently curved roof and lattice-like windows in Kyoto style.
- Where does the name Misoya come from?
- The family began making miso in 1495 (Wakayama Prefecture).
- When was the Misoya Annex Main House registered?
- On February 17, 2004 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Misoya Annex Main House (みそや別館主屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1006 Hashimoto 1-chome, Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/02/17 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber, tiled roof, 126 m² |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | No official access information |
References
- Misoya Annex Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003904
- Misoya Gofukuten (Wakayama Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.wakayama.lg.jp/prefg/061000/100nen/ichiran_d/fil/31misoyappt.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.23
