Ishiba Family Residence, Historic merchant residence in Kamenokomachi, Japan
The Ishiba Family Residence is a historic merchant house in Kamenokomachi with its original wooden framework and traditional wooden pillars intact. The main living area features an open hearth and displays the spatial arrangement typical of a prosperous trading family's home.
The house was built around 1800 and belonged to generations of the merchant family Seibei, who sold various goods during the Edo period. The family played an important role in local trade and shaped the region's economic life over many decades.
The residence reflects how merchant families organized their daily lives within traditional Japanese spatial arrangements. The layout shows how living and working spaces were integrated for the family's brewing business.
The house is located in a traditional town area and is easy to reach on foot. Visiting during daylight hours helps you appreciate the wood details and natural light that illuminates the interior spaces.
The residence preserves one of the region's few remaining irori, a traditional sunken hearth used for cooking in historical Japanese homes. This ancient fire pit shows how families once prepared meals while warming their houses.
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