Kuriyama Residence, Traditional kominka residence in Gojō, Japan.
The Kuriyama Residence is a wooden farmhouse in Gojō featuring heavy timber beams, tatami mat floors, and sliding partitions arranged in traditional Japanese style. The structure contains multiple levels and rooms organized organically around a central area.
Built in 1607, this house is the oldest private residence in Nara Prefecture and has maintained its original structural elements over four centuries. Its preservation earned it designation as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
The residence shows how prosperous farming families lived and worked during the Edo period. The layout reveals the practical division between living quarters, storage areas, and workspaces that served a rural household's daily needs.
The exterior is visible from the surrounding paths, but the interior remains a private family home and is not open to visitors. You can appreciate the building's traditional construction and design from the outside.
The original ridge plates in the roof contain carved construction dates from the early 17th century. These handwritten marks are rare physical evidence of the exact time the structure was built.
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