UKIHA, Fukuoka -- The former residence of a wealthy family here is a showcase of elaborate design, speaking to the present from its presumed completion time in the late Meiji era (1868-1912).

The Yoshiimachi district of Ukiha, Fukuoka Prefecture, once prospered through businesses including the production of wax, sake and canola oil. According to the city government, "Igura no Yakata" (also known as the Matsuda Old House), was the residence of a wealthy landowner who made their fortune from wax production. Its walls and even the back of the eaves are plastered, and the second floor shutters are covered with copper plates to counter fires. This area was ravaged by three large fires between the Edo period (1603-1867) and 1869 in the early Meiji era, and it is said that lessons learned from these fires were used in the construction of the house to make it resistant to the spread of fire.

Upon entering the house, visitors will find a long earthen floor where wagons apparently used to pass through to come and go to the storehouse in the back. There is a separate, luxurious entrance for guests. Above a Shinto altar is an open, two-story space, so that no one will step on the god's head. The ceiling of the bathroom has gaps created by slightly shifted boards to let the air out through the roof, functioning like a ventilation fan.

The house was reportedly constructed at the end of the Meiji era. A building tag stating that it was renovated in 1917 remains, showing the names of the builders and plasterers who were involved in the remodeling.

(Japanese original by Minoru Kanazawa, Kyushu Photo and Video Department)

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The Japanese version of this article was originally published on Dec 1, 2024.

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