Yoshihara Family Residence, Traditional wooden residence in Onomichi, Japan.
The Yoshihara Family Residence is a traditional wooden structure built in the 1600s with sliding doors, woven straw flooring, and a thatched roof made from natural plant materials. The interior uses an open room layout with exposed wooden beams and structural elements visible throughout, showing how carpenters built these homes without nails.
The residence was built in 1635 during Japan's Edo period when local families held administrative roles in their communities. It has remained largely unchanged since then, passing through the hands of different generations before becoming a protected cultural site.
The way rooms connect to each other shows how families adapted their living space for different activities and times of day using movable screens instead of permanent walls. Walking through reveals how daily life unfolded around a central gathering area that served many purposes.
Entry is possible only with a guide who explains the spaces and teaches visitors how to move respectfully through traditional rooms. Wear easy shoes because you will remove them frequently and navigate between different floor levels throughout the tour.
The carpenters assembled this entire building without using any nails, instead relying on wooden joinery techniques that locked beams tightly into each other. This method proved so durable that the structure has survived more than 400 years with minimal repairs.
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