My grandmother grew up, and my father was born in this house.
History
The family's documented history goes back more than 400 years to the Edo era.My grandmother's brother's family now lives in this house, protecting the family history and traditions.
This house was built more than 200 years ago on an immense land covering more than 2,500 square meters and served as a home to a wealthy family of salt wholesale merchants during the golden Genroku period of the Edo era. Until recently the family owned a farmland planting apple trees.
The house is designated as an important historical building by Iizuna Town, and thus the family is not allowed to make any alterations to the exterior appearance of the house.
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| Entrance of the house (outside). |
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| Entrance of the house (inside). |
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| A path in the house for vehicles to pass through to deliver goods to the storage in the premises. |
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| Storage warehouses. |
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| Calligraphy passed down through generations. |
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| Private garden for the main building. |
Location
The house is located in the current Iizuna Town, and was strategically built in the central area of the Mure-Juku (Juku=post station) on the Hokkoku Kaido, or the Hokkoku route that connected Echizen (current Fukui prefecture) and Edo (current Tokyo). This route was developed for travelers going to the buddhist tepmle, Zenko-ji, in Nagano.Juku, or post stations, were created during the Edo period, located on the Edo Five Routes or one of its sub-routes. These post stations were places where travelers could rest during their travel on these routes.
I remember when I first visited the house more than 25 years ago, the bathroom was "botton style", as we call it in Japanese...the toilet where it was a hole in the floor with no flushing function. Now, it is fully reformed with the newest Japanese toilet technology.
This house has seen the small village develop over the course of 200 years, and seen the family grow generation after generation.
It is really overwhelming...in a good way of course, to step into the house and have this sensation of slipping back in time...of 200 years!
Iizuna Town is located approximately 20 km north of Nagano City and is famous for its apples, hot springs, and its mountains open for skiing in the winter.
It is also home to the beautiful St. Cousair Winery.
Click here to visit St. Cousair Winery's official website in English: St. Cousair Winery
