Former Ozawa Family Residence, Traditional machiya merchant house in Kamiokawamae-dori, Niigata, Japan
The Former Ozawa Family Residence is a traditional wooden merchant house in Niigata that combines living quarters and commercial space under one roof. The building features tatami flooring, narrow corridor design, and small street-facing windows typical of this architectural style.
The residence dates from the period when the Ozawa family operated various trading businesses in Niigata, including transport services, storage management, and rice wholesale. The building represents an example from the era when such houses shaped economic and social life in trading cities.
The residence shows how the family lived and worked together in the same building, with traditional hearth spaces where residents gathered for cooking and daily tasks. These shared areas reveal how domestic life and commerce were deeply connected in this merchant household.
The house is located in central Niigata on a lively street connected to other historic buildings and shops. Visitors can easily reach it on foot and can view multiple merchant houses in a single visit.
The building was intentionally designed with narrow corridors to reduce taxes during the Edo period, since taxation was based on the visible frontage width. This practical feature shows how property owners creatively worked around regulations of that time.
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