長町武家屋敷 （Nagamachi Buke Yashiki) / 金沢 (Kanazawa)
Just 5 minutes walk from ”香林坊”, which is midtown of Kanazawa city, there are small town composed only by traditional Japanese houses called as “長町武家屋敷” (Nagamachi Buke Yashiki). What is surprising that people are still living there. Traditional houses are maintained by the people living there. Not like other capital city in Japan, people respect old style established in Japan and keep it even it is not meet with urban style in recent days.
Each houses are surrounded by fences in same style. These fences are made of wood, stone and cray. There is no Metal nor plastic but strong and sturdy enough to protect wind power.
Gardens are behind fences but I cannot enter because these are personal living house. But there are some houses opens for tourists such as “野村家”. You can enter into and see Japanese Traditional houses. It is spiritual.
All the Shogunate time in Kanazawa, a typical house of townspeople was an oblong shape of about 5-meter width by 9-meter depth. However, some merchant houses had an approximately 20 meter wide earth floor in front and “MISE” at back.
Usually, merchant houses had a some layout, MISE-NO-MA (shop space) in front then arranged OE-NO-MA (lounge), HA-NO-MA (living room and DAIDOKORO (kitchen) were arranged at back, but very rare have tearoom and a separate room. All clerks and apprentice boys slept in the MISE-NO-MA, and other had a room on the 2nd floor.
OE-NO-MA (lounge) was provided with IRORI (hearth) for boiling and heating, and used for family meal, communication and business talk.
