Former Ishiguro House
Designated as traditional architecture on March 29, 2000.
This residence was planned and constructed in 1935, designed in an urban style, completely different from the samurai-residence style of the early modern period.
The Ishiguro House’s traditional style juxtaposes the public sphere with four rooms and the main entrance hall, and the private sphere with a small entrance next to the main entrance. The former Ishiguro House merged the public and private spheres by having only one entrance hall, which was connected to both Japanese and Western rooms. This house was a precursor of “bunka-jutaku,” modern residential architecture, which would proliferate in Kakunodate in the following decades. It was characterized by the separation of the living room, guest room, family lounge (cha-no-ma or “the room for tea”), housemistress’s room, and kids room, which were connected by corridors.
(by Izumi Sakata, Doctor of Engineering)
