Former Residence of Sasagawa Family, Historical residence in Minami-ku, Japan.
The Former Residence of Sasagawa Family is a house in Niigata built with traditional Japanese architecture, featuring tatami rooms, sliding doors, and a surrounding garden. The structure displays the layout of a manor house with distinct areas designed for different purposes and formal gatherings.
The Sasagawa family served as district administrators during the Edo period, managing eight villages and collecting taxes for over 300 years. This extended period of power made them one of the most influential families in the region.
The formal rooms with high wooden ceilings and traditional decorative elements show how village administrators lived and displayed their authority in the community. These spaces reveal the daily life and social standing of local leaders during their era.
The site is easy to walk through and the different rooms are clearly marked so visitors can easily understand how the house is organized. Plan to spend time exploring the garden and outer structures, as they are important to understanding the whole property.
The property is surrounded by a moat and earthen walls that once served as protective measures and were later mentioned in a famous haiku by poet Takahama Kyoshi. These features are rooted in Japanese literature and show how important the house was in local culture.
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