Kusakabe Heritage House
museum
日下部民藝館
A magnificently preserved Meiji-era merchant house showcasing Hida carpentry at its finest, with folk craft displays.
Masterpiece of Hida carpentry, built in 1879 for a wealthy merchant family. The massive timber-frame structure features soaring exposed beams, traditional sunken hearths (irori), and an impressive collection of folk crafts and merchant artifacts. The building is designated an Important Cultural Property for its exceptional woodworking, the joints and beams alone are worth the visit, showcasing why Hida carpenters were recruited by emperors to build temples in Kyoto and Nara.
Look up at the massive zelkova crossbeams in the entrance hall. Each one was cut from a single tree and joined without nails using traditional Hida joinery techniques.
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