SEP. 2014 No.82

LIVING GUIDE MORIOKA
MORIOKA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ASSOCIATION
12-2 UCHIMARU, MORIOKA, IWATE 020-8530
TEL 019-626-7524 / URL http://www.mira-morioka.com/e-mail

info@mira-morioka.com

Let’s go and see ‘Morioka Machiya’
Did you know that Morioka is called ‘A small Kyoto in Michinoku(Deep North)’? The reasons are that the many old-style buildings left
in the city create a certain kind of atmosphere and flavour and also theregion is richly endowed with natural beauty such as the Kitakami Riveror Mt. Iwate. Especially in the areas around Nataya-cho, traditionalmerchants’ residences called ‘Morioka Machiya’ have been preserved.
It hands down to posterity a typical Morioka town scene from the time
when the castle town was developed until the1960s.
Why don’t you take a walk around Nataya-cho and feel the atmosphere of Morioka at that time?

What is ‘Morioka Machiya’?
It is a house for merchants in the castle town in which the residence and retail store functions arecombined. As many people lived along the road, the frontage of the house is narrow but deep and there’s
almost no gap to the next door. It is similar to the ‘Kyo-machiya’ in Kyoto in some ways, though a
distinctive architectural style was created in the mercantile culture in Morioka. In the master’s work
place, called ‘Joi’ the room is open to the roof and there is a large home shrine. So it is sometimes called,‘A house where the gods live’.
＜Floor plan and explanation of each room in Machiya＞

Floor Plan

①Mise : What we call in modern day a store. In houses that did not run astore, this space was reserved for guests.
②Joi : The owner’s work area. Also contains an impressive Kamidana
shrine. Even those who lived in the house would enter this sacred areawith respect. Based on the idea that it is impolite to walk over the gods
and master, there is no floor above and only a stairwell in the room.
③Kamidana : Kamidana is a household Shinto shrine and essential forany merchant house. Generally south facing, it sometimes faces east.
④Roji : Earthen road-like alley. The position of the Roji depended on thedistrict. The space of the Roji helped to preserve privacy.

1 Floorst

Kura :
storehouse⑦⑤Zashiki : The master or guest tatami mat bedroom.
⑦Hashiri : Kitchen.

⑨Rear 2nd Floor : A room used by the master or woman servants.
⑩Tsuboniwa : The Tsuboniwa is an inner garden built to let light and air
into the Joi area. In summer it acted as a natural cooler.

Kura :storehouse⑩⑤⑥⑥Daidoko : Where food is eaten. Dining room.
⑧Main 2nd Floor : This was a room for employees of the store. It wasalso used as a temporary inn or as a warehouse.

2nd Floor②⑨③④①⑧Let’s visit ‘Morioka Machiya Story House’Morioka Machiya Story House was opened with the concept, ‘Experience nostalgic bustle’. In thisfacility you can feel the atmosphere of Morioka in the Showa era.
◆Information (‘Omoya’ : Main building )◆Taisho era Kura (warehouse)

It is a building in which characteristics of Morioka
Machiya remain. There is a Tori-doma (earthen floorpassage) leading to thecourtyard, an entrance tothe residential area, and astaircase to the second floorwith drawers beneath eachstep. You can experience
the Showa era through thefurnishings of that time.
Also, annual events in thearea are introduced here.

A lively and nostalgic shopping street based on
Morioka in the 1960s (Showa 30s) is recreated in theTaisho era sake storehouse. Records and toys from theShowa era are exhibited on the second floor, creating aspace that takes you back in time.

◆Bunko-Gura (Library-warehouse)◆Hamato Hall

People connectedwith Morioka, especially to Nataya-cho
are highlighted in an
earthen-walled warehouse from the early Showa era.
A correlation diagram of these people and a map
showing related places are displayed. On the second
floor there is a library for parents and their children.
The atmosphere makes you feel as if you have
wandered into an attic.

◆Places where you can see Machiya

A hall that also can be used as a stage, making themost of a late Edo era sake storehouse.
At the gallery, video recordings of ordinary people's
lives are shown. It is a place where you can experience Morioka at that time.
（Reference：Official website of Morioka）↑Morioka Bus CenterAccess Map

Daijishimizu Resting Area
Open: 10：00～16：00
Closed: every Wednesday（If a nationalholiday, closed the next day.）

BUS STOP:Minami-Odori
2chomeTohoku Bank

Iwate BankKizuya◆Morioka Machiya Story House

BUS STOP:Minami-Odori
2chomeOpen：9：00～19：00（Last entrance 18：30）
Holidays：Fourth Tuesday of each month,
December 29 to January 3rd.

Daijiji Temple
Daijiji ElementarySchool

Daijishimizu
Resting Area

MoriokaMachiya
Story House

UniverseSun Drug
Route 4 →Kitakami River