Old Makita Residence, Traditional wooden house in Sado Island, Japan
The Old Makita Residence is a traditional wooden house on Sado Island featuring a thatched roof, earthen walls, wooden beams, and rooms with tatami mats throughout. The structure includes several connected spaces that functioned as living areas, sleeping quarters, work zones, and storage rooms.
The residence originated during the Edo period and served as a family home through many generations. Its construction reflects building practices and living standards typical of rural Japan in the 19th century.
The interior displays original furnishings and objects from everyday rural life, showing how family members cooked, slept, and spent time together in each room. These details reveal the rhythm of household activities and social customs from that era.
Guided visits allow you to walk through the traditional rooms, see the garden, and examine the architectural details up close. The tour explains how the various spaces were built and used by families in earlier times.
The house retains all its original structural components and room arrangement, making it a rare complete example of traditional Japanese farmhouse design. Most other historic residences from this era have been altered or renovated over time.
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