The Yoshijima House

One of the great examples of Japanese residential architecture, the Yoshijima House has stood in the historic old city of Takayama for over 100 years. Built in 1907 after a fire and under the direction of Nishida Isaburo, the complex functioned as a residence for the Yoshijima family, a wealthy merchant household that brewed sake. The builders used luxuriant wood including elm, red pine and cypress: rich materials that were becoming more readily available as the Edo period gave way to the Meiji era. This oversized volume is based on the 1988 book Important Cultural Properties: The Yoshijima House. Unlike that original edition, the 385 full-bleed color photographs by Hata Ryoo are here systematically arranged, facilitating a complete room-by-room tour of the house. Thirty-one architectural plans, including six gatefolds, allow for true appreciation of the building in all its greatness.