Former Arai Family Residence

T K a month ago

Visited on a Sunday in mid-February. There is a toilet. Free parking available. Bicycle parking available. Admission fee: 200 yen for adults. These are the remains of a sericulture farm that once existed. Very well preserved. You can also tour this house by entering the adjacent museum. In other words, it is a set of two parts.

Tat (ジャック) 11 months ago

Visited on March 24, 2023. A farmhouse from about 250 years ago with a shingle roof? Or cedar bark? The stone on top is impressive, and there is only one tatami room, and the rest is a board room. The floor plan is simple, there is no privacy at all, and the bathroom is exposed. It is interesting to think about the lifestyle and consciousness of those days.

半炒飯 a year ago

The old sericulture farm building was relocated from near the town hall, and although it had been renovated twice, it is displayed almost in its original form. (It seems that high windows were added after the renovation) It has a very old-fashioned appearance, with a shingle roof covered with stones. It is possible to take a stroll around the building except for the Okunodee (Okuma) and the second floor. Although the roofs and scales are different, I felt that many places had similar structures, such as the chaya honjin near Gunma Yokogawa, where there was a stable inside the house and the location of the bath. From the deck, you can see the bamboo forest outside, which gives it a nice atmosphere.

Kt Ong 4 years ago

A good place to go if you are into the history of Nagatoro. Entry fee is 200yen. The display area of the tools the people used and the history and geography of the area were interesting. The house itself is just so-so.

Joelle Kuiper 4 years ago

The Former Arai Family Residence is a beautiful and well-maintained silkworm raising farmhouse (古民家 kominka). It’s very worthwhile to get a guided tour, which is free as long as the museum staff have time to take you around. It’s ¥200 entry and located behind the Nagatoro Town Museum which is included in the price. There is parking right outside which is shared with Nagatorogura, the sake brewery which is across the carpark. This farmhouse was originally located on the other side of town closer to Nogami I believe, but was donated to the town and moved to this location for public display. When the authorities discovered the Arai farmhouse had been renovated three times they restored it to its original condition. The Arai family were silkworm farmers and the history is fascinating. Imagine the whole first floor covered in silkworms munching away at a whole bunch of leaves! During this period the family slept upstairs. The farmhouse looks out over an aspect of farmland and has a stand of bamboo next to it, so it’s very natural and serene. In spring the farmland is dotted with cherry trees in bloom between the fields. See if you you find where the hidden newlyweds bedroom is - let’s just say that the door that looks like a cupboard well, it’s not a cupboard! Well worth a visit.