Baba Family Residence, Traditional kominka residence in Matsumoto, Japan
Baba Family Residence is a traditional farmhouse with multiple connected wooden buildings arranged around a central garden featuring interconnected ponds. The interior spaces include a large kitchen with a traditional hearth, living quarters, sleeping areas, and storage buildings, all linked by sliding doors and wooden corridors.
Built in 1851 by the 12th generation Baba Gizaemon, the residence belonged to a wealthy farming family with ties to the Takeda clan. Its construction during this period reflects when such influential farming families shaped the region's social and economic structure.
The residence reflects how a wealthy farming family organized their daily spaces, with distinct areas for family members and servants that show the social boundaries of that time. Visitors can see how these divisions shaped where people lived and worked under one roof.
Most areas of the residence are open for visitors to explore, including the kitchen, living spaces, and storage buildings with historical items. Take time to move between the different building sections to understand how the layout connected daily life and work.
The kitchen features an adjustable mechanism for raising and lowering cooking pots over the fire. This clever device reveals how families of the time managed heat and cooking speed by moving pots up and down as needed.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
