Nango Magariya, officially known as the Former Suzuki Family Residence, is a historic traditional farmhouse located in Nango, Tone Town, Numata City, Gunma Prefecture. Believed to have been built around 1785, the house features the distinctive magariya architectural style, characterized by an L-shaped floor plan. This style is particularly associated with the Tohoku region of northern Japan and is rare in Gunma Prefecture.
The Suzuki family was a prominent local family that served for generations as nanushi, village headmen responsible for local administration. During the Edo period, the residence was also used as accommodation for officials dispatched by the local lord, giving the house an important role in the community.
Because of its historical and architectural significance, the building was designated a Numata City Important Cultural Property on March 8, 2004. Today, it is open to the public as a cultural tourism facility where visitors can experience the lifestyle of traditional farming communities and participate in activities such as making local dishes.
A magariya is a traditional Japanese farmhouse in which part of the main building bends at a right angle, creating an L-shaped structure. This architectural style is particularly common in the cold regions of the Tohoku area, including Iwate and Aomori prefectures, where it developed as a practical form of housing suited to snowy winters.
At Nango Magariya, the projecting section of the L-shaped building was used as a stable. Keeping horses inside the house made it easier to care for them during harsh winters and allowed the family to monitor their condition closely.
The roof is covered with thatch, traditionally made by layering grasses such as Japanese pampas grass. Thatched roofs provide good insulation and ventilation, helping keep the interior cool in summer and warm in winter. As traditional thatched buildings have become increasingly rare throughout Japan, Nango Magariya is carefully preserved as an important historic structure.
The ancestors of the Suzuki family are said to have settled in the area after being invited to serve as priests when Kumano Shrine was established there. The family later served successive generations as village headmen, playing an important role in local administration and community affairs.
During the Edo period, officials visiting the area for tasks such as checking rice taxes and surveying land often stayed at the residence. For this reason, the house included formal rooms that would not normally be found in an ordinary farmhouse, including spaces influenced by the shoin-zukuri architectural style associated with samurai residences.
An inscription on the side wall of the Inari shrine on the property records the date as “October, 1785”. Combined with the building’s architectural characteristics, this evidence supports the belief that the residence was completed around 1785.
The main house at the center of the property is a large thatched-roof building that retains many features of traditional magariya architecture.
Inside, visitors can see a spacious doma, an earthen-floored area traditionally used for cooking, farm work, and other household tasks. The arrangement of these spaces provides an insight into a traditional farmhouse lifestyle in which agricultural work and everyday domestic activities were closely connected.
The living area contains an irori, a traditional sunken hearth that served as the center of family life. The fire was used for cooking and heating, while the smoke rising toward the roof helped dry the building and protect the wooden structure and thatch from insects and decay.
During the period when sericulture was an important local industry, the second floor is believed to have been used as a space for raising silkworms. The building gradually acquired its present form through various renovations and additions made over the years.
At the rear of the main house is Okunodei, also known as the raised formal room. It is the most prestigious room in the residence and was used by important guests, including visiting officials.
The room features special architectural elements including Odoko and Medoko, decorative alcove areas, as well as a tsuke-shoin on the left for displaying books and ornaments. On the right is a chōdai-gamae, an architectural feature associated with traditional samurai residences.
A farmhouse incorporating such a formal shoin-zukuri interior is extremely rare. The room is therefore regarded as an especially valuable example of historic architecture in Gunma Prefecture.
In addition to the main house, the property retains several structures that supported everyday life in the past.
The property contains four storehouses: the Ueno Storehouse, Shitano Storehouse, New Storehouse, and Miso Storehouse. Traditional storehouses were built with highly fire-resistant walls finished with earth and plaster to protect valuables, grain, and other important goods from fire and theft.
Today, farming tools and household implements are displayed inside the storehouses, providing visitors with a glimpse into rural life from the Edo period through the early Showa period.
A waterwheel house also remains on the property. In the past, water power was used for tasks such as threshing grain, milling flour, and silk production.
The waterwheel illustrates the practical knowledge and technology that supported everyday life in traditional rural communities.
At Nango Magariya, visitors can enjoy the atmosphere of a traditional farmhouse while taking part in local cooking and rural lifestyle experiences. Activities are available by reservation and use locally sourced ingredients.
Soba-making: Learn how to make traditional handmade soba noodles using locally produced buckwheat flour.
Oyaki-making: Make oyaki, a regional dish consisting of vegetables and other fillings wrapped in dough, traditionally associated with the Shinshu and Joshu regions.
Udon-making: Experience the traditional process of making handmade udon noodles.
Stone-oven pizza: Bake pizza in a traditional-style stone oven.
Suiton-making: Prepare suiton, a rustic Japanese dish made by cooking pieces of flour-based dough in soup.
Konjac-making: Learn how traditional konjac is prepared, a food closely associated with Gunma Prefecture.
These experiences offer an enjoyable way to discover traditional Japanese food culture and are popular with families and school groups. From April through November, local community events are also held on the fourth Sunday of each month, featuring regional dishes such as soba set meals and grilled river fish.
Near Nango Magariya is the popular day-use hot spring facility Nango Onsen Shakunage-no-Yu. The facility uses 100% free-flowing natural hot spring water from its own source. The alkaline simple spring has a pH of 9.4 and is known for its soft, gentle feel.
The spring produces approximately 400 liters of water per minute, allowing visitors to enjoy fresh hot spring water without recirculation.
The facility includes a cypress bath made using locally produced Japanese cypress, a stone bath constructed with rounded stones, and an open-air bath where visitors can enjoy views of the surrounding natural landscape.
There is also a restaurant and a local agricultural produce shop, where visitors can enjoy fresh ingredients from the region. The facility is conveniently located near other attractions such as Fukiware Falls and Lake Sonohara, making it a popular place to relax during a sightseeing trip.
Approximately 13 kilometers from the Numata Interchange of the Kan-Etsu Expressway, via National Route 120 and Prefectural Route 62. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes.
From JR Numata Station, take a Kan-Etsu Kotsu bus bound for Nango. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes. Get off at the final stop and walk for about 3 minutes.
Nango Magariya is both a valuable example of traditional Japanese farmhouse architecture and a cultural tourism facility where visitors can experience the history and lifestyle of the local community.
The beautiful thatched-roof house, traditional living spaces with an irori hearth, and hands-on local cooking experiences offer an opportunity to discover rural Japanese culture in an engaging way.
With hot springs and scenic natural attractions nearby, Nango Magariya is an appealing destination where visitors can experience history, traditional culture, food, and nature in a single visit.