旧有路家住宅, Traditional residence in Mogami, Japan
Kyu-Ariji residence is a traditional farmhouse with a thatched roof and an open floor plan that separates different areas of daily life. Inside, five distinct rooms including an alcove and stables show how the building served both as a home and a working space.
Built during the early Edo period, this house served as the residence of the village headman and a checkpoint controlling travel between two feudal domains. Its construction marks a time when such buildings held both administrative and strategic importance.
The residence shows how rural families organized their lives with spaces where people and animals shared the same building. The layout reveals the practical needs of farming communities and how they adapted to the mountain climate.
The building opens to visitors during warmer months, so plan your visit for summer and early autumn when the site is accessible. The limited season reflects the need to maintain the fragile thatched roof and protect the interior from weather.
The famous poet Matsuo Basho stayed here briefly in 1689 and drew inspiration from his time at the residence for his writings. His visit links this place to one of the most celebrated journeys in Japanese literary history.
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