Castle Guard Residences, Samurai residences in Tonomachi, Japan.
Castle Guard Residences in Tonomachi is a group of row houses built in traditional Japanese style with wooden sliding doors and mat flooring throughout. The structures sit close together with dark timber frames and simple exteriors, showing the functional design of samurai family homes.
Built in 1863, these houses served as living quarters for Kishu clansmen protecting Matsusaka Castle during the final years of the Edo period. They stand as witnesses to the end of feudal Japan and the structured military life that characterized that era.
The row house layout reflects how samurai families organized themselves as a protective community near the castle they served. Visitors can see how the close arrangement of homes created a neighborhood bound by shared duty and social rank.
The residences sit within a historic quarter that is easy to explore on foot with clear traditional structures marking the area. Visiting earlier in the day helps you experience the streets more peacefully and see the homes in natural daylight.
Some of these houses remain home to descendants of the original samurai families, keeping a living link to the past. This ongoing inhabitation means the homes function as real living spaces rather than becoming frozen historical sites.
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