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Kuroba Family House

Travel Information

May

Kuroba Family House (口羽家住宅) is one of the Samurai Houses located in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was constructed in the late 18th century. It is the high-rank Samurai House and its Samurai Gate, called Nagayamon Gate is so beautiful. The house and the gate is registered as important national cultural assets.

Tourist Info.
There is parking and a restroom.
Admission: 100 JPY.
Business Hours: 9:00~17:00
Closed on Wednesday, 8/13 to 15, and 12/30 to 1/3

Access
0. at Hagistation.
1. use a Hagi routation Bus to Midoriya Farm.


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Map around Kuroba Family House

Detailed Travel Guide

Kuroba Family House
The Kuchiba Family were retainers to the Mori family., the folders of the Choshu Domain during the Edo period (1603 to 1867). In 1674, Kuchiba Narimichi (dates unknown) was appointed to the post of yorigumi, a class of high-ranking retainer, a status that he and his family would hold until the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1868.

The former home is a fine example of a high-ranking samurai residence from the Edo period. The nagayamon gate and hite earthen walls that surround the buildings inside are particularly well preserved.

Many small details inside the house indicate the status of the Kuchiba family. For example, most of the rooms have high ceilings, implying that the family had enough land that they did not need attic space for storage. Unusually this room, called an ai-no-ma, or "in-between space," is sandwiched between two of the house's main rooms. Guards would hide in the small space to spring to their master's defense in the event of an attack. These spaces were nicknamed musha kakushi. Today, the residence is open to the public and Edo-period weaponry and other samurai accouterments are displayed inside one operation and move samurai to the most effective fighting location. The weapons on display, however, are inlaid with precious metals and thus were likely "vanity weapons" for ceremonial rather than official use.