Ohashi House

The Ohashi Residence (大橋家住宅, Ōhashi-ke Jūtaku) is one of Kurashiki’s finest examples of a preserved machiya, or traditional merchant townhouse, offering visitors a rare opportunity to step into the refined world of an elite Edo-period family. Built in 1796, this spacious home belonged to the influential Ohashi family, one of Kurashiki’s wealthiest merchant dynasties. Inside, guests can wander through tatami-floored rooms, admire delicately painted fusuma (sliding doors), and explore elegant reception areas once used to host important guests. Beyond these formal spaces lie the family’s private quarters, storage rooms formerly used for rice and textiles, and a traditional kitchen complete with period tools and an open hearth.

What makes the Ohashi Residence particularly distinctive is its architecture—unlike typical machiya, this house features a front gate and open courtyard, a layout more commonly seen in samurai estates. This rare design reflects the Ohashi family’s elevated status within the local community, despite merchants officially ranking at the bottom of the Edo-period social hierarchy. Their prominence was significant enough to blur the lines between class and architecture, and today, the residence stands as a cultural landmark that quietly tells the story of Kurashiki’s commercial legacy and the nuanced structure of its past society.