Chizu

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During the Edo period,
Chizu prospered as the largest lodging town
in Tottori prefecture.

Shop making sugitama 杉玉 balls from cedar branches In Chizu, almost in front of very home there hangs one such a ball with a little wooden name plate. another charming version of the balls ... ................................................................................. Ishitani Family Residence 智頭 石谷家住宅 Designated as an Important Cultural Asset of Japan. The Ishitani Residence is known in the area for its "modern" Japanese-style in traditional architecture, using the famous pine trees of the area. The resicence was built from 1919 to 1929, almost 11 years until it was completed. More zashiki sitting rooms and gardens were added until 1941. Ishitani Denshiroo 石谷伝四郎 (1866 - 1923), who started the construction, was the head of the rich Ishitani Forestry Business, and a member of the House of Peers in Tokyo. The Ishitani family was called "The Kings of the Mountain Woodlands". Denshiro would not spare any money or time for this buiding, which was not only for himself but for his descendants. The ancestors of Ishiya were the Shioya 塩屋, now an almost broken estate in front of this residence, who moved to Chizu in the 17th century. wood mandala ................................................................................. a huge hall for smoke and smell - the kitchen Sitting for a while in this huge kitchen tract, I pondered about the psychology of its founder ... and the enormous skills of the carpenters who made his dream come true. The designer supervisor, Tanaka Rikizoo 田中力蔵, had studied in England. The master carpenter, Noguchi Kamezoo 野口亀蔵 was from Tottori. Kokumai Taiseki 国米泰石 was a carver of Buddhist statues and made most of the decorative parts and the ranma open panel carvings between the rooms. This huge space was made from the finest akamatsu red pines of the area. It is almost 14 meters high. It is a miseru kuukan “見せる空間”, a space made to be seen. The residence includes living quaters of the family, various reception rooms, tea rooms with indivitual gardens, rooms for the yearly reception of the mountain watchmen (yamaban　山番). Furthermore there were store houses and workshops. The large construction of the family Shinto Shrine in the second floor is splendid. Family Shinto Altar ................................................................................. heart-shaped window ................................................................................. The various gardens were designed by Yoshida Shooya 吉田璋也 (1898 - 1972), a scholar of mingei folk art and also a doctor in Tottori. fish pond

This impressive residence is now run as a foundation and open to the public. One of the private rooms of the owner is now a tea house for visitors.



ALBUM : Chizu 智頭　



Chizu has a lot more to offer, but because of strong rain we had to give up our exploration.
I hope to be back soon !


one day sunshine,
one day pooring rain . . .
travelling in spring



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