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The Yanobe family residence is the home of Yanobe Nobukatsu, a descendant of Prince Takamichi, the first son of Emperor Tenmu, the 40th Emperor of Japan. This historical building was designated as a historical site in Gunma Prefecture in 1976 and was registered as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1992.
Yanobe Nobukatsu, a high-ranking official of the Ashikaga shogunate, built this residence in 1561 in what is now the suburbs of Kiryu City. Since then, the Yanobe family has preserved this modest and elegant samurai residence through generations.
The well-preserved main building is one of the few remaining examples in the entire Kanto region. The estate covers an area of over 20,000 square meters, with central structures including a longhouse gate, main house, retreat room, library storehouse, and granary, all of which have been well-maintained. The main house features a hip-and-gable roof style with a thatched roof, believed to have been built in the early Edo period (1501-1600). As one of the few ancient houses in the Kanto region, it holds significant historical value.
The garden, designed in the Muromachi style, features a pond with flowing water, stone bridges, waterfalls, ponds, and large rocks, creating a solemn yet elegant atmosphere. In one corner of the garden, there are shrines dedicated to the deities that protect the residence, including Take no Oka Hachiman Shrine, Inari Shrine, and Benzaiten. Further in, there is a tranquil bamboo grove. According to legend, during the Warring States period, the Battle of Sekigahara, the Yanobe family offered bamboo to Tokugawa Ieyasu, winning the shogun's favor.
The entrance longhouse gate of the Yanobe residence is said to reflect the architectural style of the mid-Edo period.
The Yanobe family has long been engaged in the textile industry. In 1820, Yanobe Gobei invented black satin, which is one of the representative works of Kiryu weaving. After entering the Meiji period (1868-1912), they further invested in the textile industry, constructing a textile factory, dyeing kiln, and women's dormitory within the residence, contributing to the development of Kiryu textiles.
The retreat room next to the longhouse gate is referred to as the "Winter Residence." Today, the Yanobe residence still retains the equipment and living quarters that were once part of the textile factory, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of life in medieval Japan.
