古民家を訪ねて その43茨城県常総市水海道風土博物館・坂野家住宅後編

This is the second part of our feature on the Sakano Family Residence—part of the Mitsukaido Fudo Museum in Joso City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Four buildings within the Sakano estate are designated as National Important Cultural Properties; in this installment, we introduce the Front Gate (Omotemon), Getsuparo, and the Archive Storehouse (Bunkogura). The vast 3,000-tsubo (approx. 10,000-square-meter) grounds feature not only the buildings but also fields, woodlands, and a pond situated outside the main residential area, which is enclosed by a wooden fence. The family is said to have been established in the area for 500 years; during the Edo period, they served as so-nanushi (chief village headmen) and were wealthy landowners—known locally as "Taranbo-daijin"—possessing great assets and social standing. The Sakano family collection includes some 400 items, such as letters written by historical figures like Ninomiya Sontoku, Fujita Toko, and Yamaoka Tesshu.