House of the Narawa Family, Fukushima Minka-en
The building is a reconstruction of the House of the Narawa family, originally made in the mid-18th century, or the Edo period. With wooden and concrete outer walls, the house has a rectangular floor plan emphasized by its yosemune-zukuri (four-sided hipped) thatched roof. Its interior is separated into four rooms, each having small, solid wood doors. On the exterior of the home, shoji sliding doors, made from a lighter material like paper or cloth, contrast with the interior. Despite the shoji, the overall structure of the building lets little light reach inside. It is a private abode. This house is an example of minka-style homes popularized in Japan by the non-samurai class, namely farmers, merchants, and artisans. While not the upper class, a position reserved for samurai and the shogun's prefectural advisors, these workers would accumulate wealth during the Edo period. This specific home was likely owned by a wealthy farmer, as highlighted by its large yard and guest room.
Image 1 - Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en.jpg)
Image 2 - Interior_of_Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en (https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Fukushima_City_Minka-en#/media/File%3AInterior_of_Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en.jpg)
Image 3 - Household objects at the Former House of the Narawa Family at Fukushima City Minka-en.jpg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Household_objects_at_the_Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en.jpg)
Image 4 - Fukushima_City_Minka-en_entrance (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Fukushima_City_Minka-en_entrance.jpg)
Mid-18th c. - Estimation of original construction
Initial - Joraguchi, Yamada, Fukushima City, Fukushima, Japan
Current - Oishimae Kaminagura, Fukushima, Japan