Myozenji Temple Kuri (Priests' Quarters)

The kuri of Myozenji Temple in the village of Ogimachi is a five-story gassho-style farmhouse built in 1817 to house the head priest's family, now open as a museum. Its plastered earthen walls, more fire-resistant than wood, were unusual enough that carpenters from Takayama rather than local craftsmen were hired to build it. The 330-square-meter ground floor includes a living room with a sunken irori fireplace, tatami guest rooms, and family sleeping quarters, while the upper floors were used for silkworm cultivation. The building connects to the temple's main hall via a covered corridor. The attached decorative garden is rare in Shirakawa-go, where the harsh mountain climate makes such features difficult to maintain.