The Former Mikogami Family Residence is a traditional Japanese house built in the middle of the Edo period and now preserved in Otake, Narita City, Chiba Prefecture. It originally stood in the former Maruyama Town in Awa District, now part of Minamiboso City, and is regarded as a typical example of traditional folk-house architecture from the Awa region.
The residence has been designated as a National Important Cultural Property, reflecting its significant historical and architectural value. Today, it is preserved at Boso-no-Mura, where visitors can experience the atmosphere of traditional Japanese life.
The Mikogami family built the residence in 1779, during the Edo period. It is known as an example of the sugoya-style (直屋型) traditional house characteristic of the Awa region.
In this style of architecture, both the raised-floor living area and the earthen-floor space are covered by a single roof. The rooms around the formal sitting area are bordered by verandas, while sliding wooden doors and half-width translucent shoji screens are used to create the interior spaces.
Documents relating to the original construction have also survived. Among them is the Shūfu In’yō Oboechō, a record detailing construction expenses, as well as the Yane-gae Oboechō, which records the costs of replacing the thatched roof in 1844.
These historical documents are themselves designated as Important Cultural Properties. They provide valuable information about construction methods, household expenses, and aspects of everyday life during the Edo period.
The Former Mikogami Family Residence was designated a National Important Cultural Property on June 20, 1969.
In June 1973, the house was relocated to Boso-no-Mura in Chiba Prefecture, where restoration work was carried out. During the restoration, alterations that had been made to the floor plan over the years were removed, and the building was returned as closely as possible to its original Edo-period configuration.
The residence has a building area of approximately 126.3 square meters. It is a single-story wooden structure topped with a traditional thatched roof.
This type of construction is characteristic of farmhouses in the Awa region during the middle of the Edo period. The building offers visitors an opportunity to see the materials, layout, and architectural techniques used in traditional rural Japanese homes.
Boso-no-Mura is an experiential museum located in Sakae Town, Chiba Prefecture. Its extensive grounds, which extend across Narita City and Sakae Town, preserve historical buildings, Important Cultural Properties, and archaeological sites.
The Former Mikogami Family Residence is one of the historic buildings relocated and preserved within the museum. Visitors can explore not only the residence but also reconstructed streets and buildings representing different aspects of traditional life in Japan.
The facility opened in 1986 as Boso-no-Mura. It features areas recreating Edo- and Meiji-period merchant houses, samurai residences, and rural villages.
Visitors can also experience traditional Japanese skills and ways of life through demonstrations and hands-on workshops. Rather than simply viewing historical objects, the museum offers opportunities to actively experience aspects of traditional culture.
The Furusato-no-Waza Experience Area recreates townscapes from the Edo through Meiji periods. Merchant shops and other traditional buildings provide a setting where visitors can learn about everyday life and traditional occupations.
The Fudoki-no-Oka Area focuses on archaeological and historical heritage. Ancient burial mounds and historic buildings are preserved throughout the area, allowing visitors to explore the region’s history over a much longer period.
Boso-no-Mura holds recreations of traditional festivals and local customs throughout the year. Events such as Dontoyaki, a traditional ceremony associated with prayers for good health, the Doll Festival, autumn festivals, and Tanabata provide opportunities to experience Japanese customs in a historical setting.
Visitors can also watch demonstrations of traditional skills, including samurai martial arts and the work of village craftsmen such as blacksmiths. Depending on the program, hands-on activities allow visitors to try making traditional items themselves.
Food-related programs began at Boso-no-Mura in 1988. Visitors can participate in experiences connected with traditional Japanese cooking, including preparing dishes using ancient varieties of rice, cooking rice over a traditional kamado hearth, making charcoal-grilled eel, and preparing mizu-yokan, a traditional sweet bean-jelly dessert.
These activities offer a hands-on introduction to Japanese food culture and traditional cooking methods.
The museum originally opened in 1976 as Boso Fudoki-no-Oka. In 2004, it was integrated with Boso-no-Mura to create the present facility.
Various historical buildings and cultural properties have been relocated and preserved on the grounds. These include No. 101 of the Ryukakuji Kofun Group and the Former Gakushuin Primary School Auditorium.
After its official opening in 1986, reconstructed merchant houses, farmhouses, samurai residences, and other buildings representing the Edo and Meiji periods were gradually added.
The museum has continued to develop by incorporating additional cultural properties and historical structures, becoming a place where visitors can experience Japan’s traditional culture and history through buildings, crafts, festivals, and everyday activities.
Boso-no-Mura is generally open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a national holiday, as well as during the year-end and New Year holiday period.
Admission to the permanent exhibition is 300 yen for adults, 150 yen for high school and university students, and free for junior high school students and younger. Special exhibitions and hands-on programs may have separate fees.
From JR Narita Station, Boso-no-Mura can be reached by bus in approximately 22 minutes. From JR Shimousa-Matsuzaki Station, it is approximately a 30-minute walk.
For visitors traveling by car, the museum is approximately 10 kilometers from the Narita Interchange on the Higashi-Kanto Expressway. Four free parking areas are available, with space for approximately 300 vehicles.
With its carefully recreated historical streets and traditional buildings, Boso-no-Mura has also been used as a filming location for numerous movies and television dramas.
The site has appeared in productions including NHK’s historical dramas and the film Semishigure. Its authentic-looking townscapes and traditional architecture provide a convincing setting for stories set in historical Japan.
The Former Mikogami Family Residence is an important surviving example of traditional rural architecture from the middle of the Edo period. Originally built in the Awa region, the house was relocated and carefully preserved at Boso-no-Mura, where visitors can appreciate its traditional layout, wooden construction, and thatched roof.
A visit to Boso-no-Mura offers much more than an opportunity to see a historic house. The museum combines traditional architecture, archaeological sites, festivals, crafts, food experiences, and reconstructed townscapes to provide a hands-on introduction to Japan’s history and culture.
For families, history enthusiasts, and travelers interested in traditional Japanese architecture, the Former Mikogami Family Residence and Boso-no-Mura provide a valuable opportunity to step into the atmosphere of Japan’s past and learn about everyday life during earlier periods.