早川家住宅, مبنى في كايزو، غيفو، اليابان
The Hayakawa house is a large wooden building in Kaizu built by a wealthy family in a flood-prone area. It sits on a raised stone foundation with stone walls, features high-quality woodwork throughout, and includes rice storage structures built on elevated platforms to protect against flooding.
The house was planned by Hayakawa Shuuzou, the family head, and rebuilt following a major earthquake in the area, with reconstruction completed around 1932. Its design combines traditional Japanese styles with practical measures to withstand earthquakes and flooding common to the region.
The residence was built by a prosperous family and shows their social standing through the grand entrance porch and refined woodcraft inside. The carefully decorated rooms reflect how wealthy families in this region displayed their status and values through the design of their homes.
Entry is through the main entrance porch, from which you can explore the various rooms, each serving different purposes and showing distinct designs. Plan to walk slowly through the building to observe the details of the woodwork and the practical features designed to handle the local environment.
The house features advanced adaptations for flood protection with stone walls and rice storage structures built on raised platforms, typical of buildings in this flood-prone region. These protective measures show how local builders understood their environment and incorporated practical solutions into the construction to preserve what was valuable to the family.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.