Preserving Japan’s folk houses and other traditional structures + building arts - 
Stewardship, creative reuse, disassembly + relocation, events & workshops,
architectural study tours + artisan fellowships
 

A farmhouse dating from the late Taisho to early Showa period, most likely approximately 100 years old. The house had four Japanese-style rooms, with a tokonoma in the rear room. The second floor was an attic space with an impressive structure of substantial beams arranged vertically and horizontally. The munefuda (a tag recording information about the construction of the building) and hanegushi (a traditional wooden decorative element) were also preserved.

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The way the beams are assembled is particularly distinctive and is similar to the MIYA House from Gamagori, which was dismantled last year.

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The house was scheduled for demolition because the owner intended to sell the land. To prevent the structure from being lost, the minka was carefully dismantled. The timber frame and other reusable architectural components have been numbered and are now safely in storage, available for relocation and reconstruction.

 

Dimensions

Approximately 144 m² (1,550 sq ft), or approximately 14.5 m × 10 m.

 

Shape

Gabled, two stories high, originally with a tiled roof.

 

Condition

• The overall condition of the structure is very good.

• The substantial beams of the roof structure are particularly impressive and in good condition.

• The original house had earthen walls with exterior timber boarding.

• Glass doors and other original architectural elements have been retained where possible.

• The original foundation was constructed of stone.

 

Dismantling and Materials in Storage

• The minka has now been carefully dismantled for preservation and future relocation.

• The wooden beams and posts were numbered during dismantling and are now in storage.

• Reusable floorboards, ceiling panels, doors, fittings, and other architectural components were also retained where possible and are in storage.

• The roof tiles had exceeded their useful life, so only the onigawara and other decorative tiles were retained.

• The earthen walls could not be dismantled and relocated and were therefore not retained.

 

Relocation and Reconstruction

• The stored structure is available for relocation and reconstruction in a new location.

• It is possible to reconstruct the complete timber structure using the numbered components, incorporating the retained original architectural materials where appropriate.

• Alternatively, the particularly distinctive and dynamic beam structure could become the focus of a creative adaptive-reuse project.

• The numbered timber frame provides considerable flexibility for either a faithful reconstruction or a sensitive new use that preserves and showcases the craftsmanship of the original building.