Preservation Report of MATSUGAOKA Silkworm House CompoundKuniaki ITO 1, Tadahisa SAKAI2, Masaaki TOKAIRIN3, Masahiro ONUMA4
1Architect & Prof. Emeritus of Tohoku Univ.
2Director of Chidou Museum in Tsuruoka City
3 Director of Tokairin Appraisal Inc.
4Professor of Tohoku Institute of Tech.

Abstract
MATSUGAOKA Silkworm House Compound is located in the area of Matsugaoka Cultivation Site which wasonce cultivated by about 3,000 Samurai people having changed their swords for ploughs approximately140 yearsago. The cultivated area was more than 300 ha where mainly mulberry trees were planted for feeding large
quantities of silkworm. Until 1878, 10 silkworm houses were built by the excellent carpenters and 5 buildings
among them remain even now being used for some museums or restaurant. Through Meiji to Showa era for about
100 years this facility contributed Japanese silk industry and designated as the National Historic Site in 1989. The
top leader was the feudal load of that age and to our surprise, this business community lasts setting the top a direct
descendant of Sakai clan. Even now, SAKAI family lives in the close site to the old main castle. It means that therelationship between his family and citizens has been dense since long ago. These conditions must have supported
the existence of five big wooden buildings withstanding severe weathering containing deep snow in the winter.
We describe how this business community has managed itself and maintained these facilities for 140 years using
historical data, charts and our views.

Keywords: silkworm house, SAKAI clan, National Historic Site, business community, the Worth of Maturity

1. Introduction
First, we describe about the elements of real estatephase in this historical spot. Fig.3. Table 1 and Table 2
show the present state of lands and buildings. Though
No.26~No.30 do not exist, they were almost the samesilkworm houses built during a decade following thecompletion of former 5 silkworm houses.

As Table 1 and Table 2 show, there are 3 real estate
brushes of A, B, C and buildings of No.1~14. in which
only No.1~No.6 may be possibly estimated as realestates (5 silkworm houses and Sakai clan silkworm
house). But yet regarding other facilities we don’t wantto getrid of their value because of a long term raison^de’tre.

Fig.2. South elevation of No.1 silkworm house
Fig.1. Silkworm House Compound of Matsugaoka
Cultivation Site

About 140 years ago, almost 3000 samurai people
cultivated about 300 ha moor of the mountain side ofGassan Mountain into mulberry fields to feedsilkworms and at the central zone of cultivated districts,
10 splendid wooden buildings were built. They werenamed as Matsugaoka Cultivation Site by the lastfeudal lord of Tsuruoka clan.

Contact Author: Kuniaki ITO
Prof. Emeritus of Tohoku Univ. & Architect
1-1-7, Kurosuna, Inageku, Chiba-City, Japan 263-0042
Tel: 043-247-8168 Fax: 043-247-8101
e-mail: kuniaki1114ito@gmail.com

1His skill and sensibility were excellent even in 140
years ago compared with present architectural level.
They have main columns of 230×230mm squaresection and their spans of central structural face of
longitudinal direction are 3640mm and those of
perimeter structural face are 1820mm, which are thetypical basic module of housings in the eastern part ofJapan. The third floor is made for ventilation ofsilkworm rooms.
Regarding No.1 silkworm house, it has been usedwithout any conversion as it was 140 years ago. But
they say that in the beginning of Meiji era, old Samurai
people lived in these buildings to feed silkworms andcontrol the innergood condition for them. In the case¥s¥up 9(2of No.1, No. 2 , No.4 which were built in relatively
early age, some columns of the first floor of south side
perimeter zone are eliminated partially for making
3640mm span like the old farmer’s houses to get
comfortable living condition.
Regarding relatively new No.3, No.5 silkworm
houses (completed in 1876), columns and beams
having larger sectional size are used. Maximum spansof central structural face of longitudinal direction is7280mm and look like factories different from No.1,
No.2, No.4. Columns are made in octagonal section
and their minimum size is 410mm.
Gable roofs are covered with roof tiles sticked bymud. Those roof tiles were once conveyed from theold Tsuruoka Castle which was demolished by Meiji
Government order.

Fig.3. Disposition of buildings and land uses
Table 1. Three rushes where silkworm houses standA brushNo.2,4 silkworm house and others standB brushNo.1,3,5 silkworm house and others standC brushSmall northern land for refrigerator
Table 2. Main Objects in Silkworm House Compound
1. built in 1875
8. Preservation room
2. built in 1875
9. Incubation
3. built in 1876
10. Storing mulberry
4. built in 1875
11. Refrigerator
5. built in 1876
12. Office 1
6. accommodation,
13. Office 2
7. built in 1872
14. ShopIn the beginning, lands of Matsugaoka site were
under perfect joint-ownership of about 300 ha. Now,
they were divided into individuals, companies and thePrivate Organization MATSUGAOKA Cultivation Site
which consists of 54 houses. But the fundamental souland framework of this business community still remain
as holding 220 ha lands and laying the Sakai clan as aspiritual leader.
2. Features of wooden structure
Each building is the same size in largeness andwooden structure, 3 story building.
No.1, No.2 and No.4 silkworm houses were completedby Master carpenter, Kanekichi TAKAHASHI whomade other excellent wooden buildings designated asnational treasures such as Old Nishi Tagawa CountyHall, Old Nishi Tagawa County Police Station,Tsuruoka Christian Church, Sankyo Storage House
Compound in Sakata City and etc..
Table 3. Fundamental data of Silkworm House *longitudinal length38.22 m (21 Ken *)Lateral length
16.38 m ( 9 Ken )1F floor area
347.8 m2
2F floor area
347.8 m2
3F floor area
30.94 m2
Total floor area
726.54 m2

Fig.4. Structural system of No.1 silkworm house23. Evaluation of cultural assets
When we consider the happinesss of some building, ifits possibility given as objective existence was fulfilled
through relationship between a building and the people
concerned after passing a time, we could praise its roleand feel sympathy with satisfaction. We would like tocall it the happiness of that building.
[essay1]This presence shaped through relationship between abuilding or a land and the people concerned, we define
it as the Worth of Maturity [Wm].
[essay2]
We can suggest next 3 types of the Worth of MaturityA) Affection or Empirical WorthB) Beauty or Antique WorthC) Context or Intellectual WorthFig.8. Image chart of the Worth of Maturity based on
the quantity of integration of the Value for utilization

AWm
BWm
CWm
regarding passing time.

The concept of the Worth of Maturity is easy tounderstand itself in the mutual relationship between abuilding asset and its estimating subject. On the otherhand, when we estimate a building asset in the contextof general economical society, the total viewing points
are apt to be ignored. The physical degradation byaging and the exchanging worth kept at that time, areonly argued. We tried to consider how this increasing
worth and the realistic economical principle could be
integrated and visualized to deepen the argument asfollows.
In Fig. 6. Value for Utilization of a building asset
could be defined as a decreasing function V(t) letting
Time (t ) a variable. In Time t’, Value equals Zero andafter that point, moves to a deficit phase because ofmaintenance costs or renewable costs. Finally at thepoint of Time td, this building is regarded to have been
eliminated. In this chart, if an estimating subject
continues to use this asset consistently, the quantity ofintegration is, in other words. the quantity of [used =rewarded] merits shows the past accumulation of timeand is depicted generally as an increasing function. In
the final stage, this Worth changes into decreasing(Fig.8).
This quantity of integration is , to tell by intuition,
approximately close to the concept of the Worth ofMaturity [Wm] mentioned above in [essay1]. Namely
when we image the concept of worth containing
integral meaning, the Worth of Maturity in this paper
has not contradiction in itself. For that reason, weadopted the word of the Worth instead of the word of
the Value and proceed to next phase [essay 3].
[essay 3]
The Worth of Maturity [Wm] is not the same concept
as the economical Value V which suggests thefluctuation of economical exchanging possibility. Thatis the concept that suggests「irreplaceable worth」
which is close to the quantity of time integration of V３

Fig.9.

Fig.10.
Basing on that concept we can imagine a function inwhich the Worth of Maturity [Wm] is a increasing
function starting from Wm =0 and vanishes at thetime of the elimination of asset.
In the case of building assets which consist of
the compounded building elements, it is natural for
Wm to be handled according to each element like thatthe structure could have a long life but the equipment
or finishing could have a short life.
To understand the Worth of the Maturity which
consists of a lot of building elements intuitively, we
showed another chart in which those functions arereplaced by the bar-scale with gradation.
In the asset which consist of the building elements
having different lives, this chart could become a helpto consider about “which part should be admitted as
the Worth of Maturity like 『the beauty of a feel』、and
how other parts should be estimated.

Fig.10. Curved beam

Fig.11. Drying persimmon

Fig.12. Exhibition room

Fig.13. Suspended furnace

3. Conclusions
As reported above, the burden of businesss
community exceeded almost 40 million yen in spite ofa lot of subsidy from central and local government. To
hand these precious assets over to next genarations,
there is unreasonableness for present mechanism ofsociety. Almost two decades have passed since twopreservation reports were published by authorities,
effective ways are not realized yet. Thinking over thechange of present society, new ideas and blood should
be added with carefully thought-out economical planand technically back-upped design.
In Japan, the silk industry remains are in the lime
light recently by the chance of designation of world
heritage of Tomioka Silk Mill. But looking around theworld, we could find other good examples such as
Lyon-France, Macclesfield-England, Como-Italy,
Nantong-China, Paterson-the U.S. where thesefacilities are used for factories, museums, restaurants,
craft-centers and etc. even in our short time survey.
Now enlarging the sights, it needs for the people
concerned to search for their real condition andcommunicate with them.
4. Acknowledgement
First, we must thank Mrs. Amami SAKAI andTadayori SAKAI for giving us the chance ofdocumenting about the history of MATSUGAOKA
preparing for efficient data after the Meiji era up tonow. Mr. Ryo AKIHO, member of the editing
committee of Tsuruoka City History, arranged a lot of
documents in the city library for us.
5. References

Fig.14. Fundamental detailFig.15. A project of Space inserted Museum

1) Ansho TOGAWA, Takumi SATO and others (1988) Survey ofMATSUGAOKA cultural heritage for national designation. Boardof Education of Haguro Town in Yamagata Pref.
2) Sadao WATANABE, Shin SATO, Tetsuo TAMAI, Kazuko
KOIZUMI and others (1994) Report of Preservation and Use Planfor National Historic Site, MATSUGAOKA, designated by theState.
3) Shozo TAKEYAMA and others (1997) Ryothoshi-A History ofOvercoming the Term of Frost-Private Organization Matsugaoka
Cultibation Site
4) Matsumura Seminar [Economic Geographical Study of ShonaiPlane] 1976 Chiba University of Commerce.
5) Tatsuya
KATSUMATA,Shojin
KAWAMUKAI(2008)[ Composite Elements of Silkworm house] Architectural Instituteof Japan
6) Toshiya MIYAZAKI, Takayuki KUROTSU, Bin OHNO, Bushin
NISHIKAWA, Hiroshi AOKI, Masao SEKIGUCHI[ 2013
[Surveying Report of Old House of Yahei TAJIMA] Board ofEducation of Isezaki City
7) Jun IKEGAMI 2003 [Economy of Culture and Inherent Worth]
Iwanami Books
8) Masahiro ONUMA 2012 [The Worth of Maturity of Building
Assets] Architectural Institute of Japan
9) Masahiro ONUMA, Kuniaki ITO: The Worth of Maturity in Living
Properties; The Image of Heritage: Changing Perception,
Permanent Responcibilities, ICOMOS ISC Theory & Philosophy,Florence, 200910) Masahiro ONUMA: The Worth of Maturity for the Timber
Frameworks in Regional Heritage Houses, ICOMOS+ECOVAST,
Rostov the great, Russia, 2010

11th International Symposium on Architectural Interchanges in Asia (ISAIA 2016), Sendai, Japan