Ohashi House

What to know

The Ohashi family was the most prominent merchant clan in Kurashiki, and they built this residence for themselves in 1796. The house is a classic example of a machiya (traditional Japanese townhouse) belonging to wealthy merchants. It features tatami-floored rooms with elegant sliding doors and hanging scrolls for entertaining guests, along with private quarters, storage rooms, and a kitchen.

One striking difference from other machiya is that the Ohashi Residence (大橋家住宅, Ōhashi-ke Jūtaku) is not built directly on the road but has a front gate and an open area—an architectural style exclusive to samurai residences. During the Edo Period (1603–1867), a strict caste system separated social classes, with samurai at the top and merchants at the bottom. That the Ohashi family could use designs usually reserved for samurai shows their local importance.

The Ohashi House is a two-minute walk from the northern end of the preserved canal area, on the opposite side of Motomachi-dori, the main road.

To reach the Ohashi House from the station, follow the main road south (Motomachi-dori) and turn right at the second set of traffic lights. The house is about a minute away on the left.