Goto Family Residence

Overview

The Goto Family Residence is a machiya (traditional wooden townhouse) in Yonago, a key port city in the Tottori domain during the Edo period. The Goto family, originally from Iwami Province (present-day Shimane Prefecture), moved here in the early Edo period and ran a wholesale marine transport business for generations. In the early Meiji period, numerous storehouses and ancillary buildings lined the northern side of the property. Today, the main house, the first storehouse, the second storehouse, and the miso storehouse remain. The main house is a gabled building with a hipped roof, partially two-storied, covered in Japanese clay tiles. Based on historical records, it's believed to have been built around 1724 (Showtoku 4). Subsequent additions and renovations have resulted in a complex layout. The main house features a wide "tori" (earth floor area), with the raised section serving as a shop area in the front and a tatami-mat room in the back, typical of merchant houses of the time. A formal entrance with a raised platform is located on the south side of the main house, and the study consists of four rooms, indicating the high status of the residence. Investigations during renovations revealed that the entrance area and the study were later additions; it is believed they were parts of separate buildings moved to their current location before the end of the 18th century. The main house, the first and second storehouses are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan, allowing visitors to observe the building's style and structure. The miso storehouse offers further insight into daily life during that time. The Goto Family Residence is an indispensable site for understanding the history and culture of Yonago. Take your time to explore and imagine the lives and culture of the Edo period.