Overview
The Former House of Naoya Shiga is a literary museum in Takabatake-chō, Nara City, Nara Prefecture. It is the former home of Naoya Shiga, a leading novelist of the Shirakaba (White Birch) school, who took part in its design, and it was built in 1929 (Shōwa 4). A calm residence in the sukiya-zukuri style, it is also known as the "Takabatake Salon" for the writers and artists who gathered here. Registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property, it is open to the public and also used as a seminar house by the Nara Gakuen educational foundation—a quiet Takabatake highlight where one can sense a great writer's life and creative work.
Highlights
- ●A sukiya-zukuri former residence built in 1929, in whose design Naoya Shiga took part
- ●The cultural atmosphere of the "Takabatake Salon" where writers gathered
- ●Its value as residential architecture registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property
- ●Open to the public, letting visitors sense a great writer's life and creative work
History
This residence was built in 1929 (Shōwa 4), with Naoya Shiga himself said to have been involved in its design. As the former home of Shiga, a novelist of the Shirakaba school, it drew many writers who visited and mingled here, earning the affectionate name "Takabatake Salon." Built in the traditional Japanese sukiya-zukuri style, it is registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property for its cultural value. For details such as the stories of individual rooms, it is best to consult on-site explanations or official information during opening hours.
Access
The house stands in Takabatake-chō, Nara City, near latitude 34.67 and longitude 135.84, in the Takabatake area southeast of Nara Park, within reach of central Nara on foot or by public transport. It is open to the public, but opening days, hours, and admission may change by season, so please confirm through official information before visiting.
Best season
The Takabatake area is best suited to a calm stroll in the fresh green of early summer and the foliage of autumn. To view the garden's greenery and light from within the sukiya-zukuri rooms, bright daytime hours are recommended. Combined with a literary walk, a visit that follows the changing seasons is all the more rewarding.
Map
34.6778, 135.8436 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Walk through the calm streets of Takabatake-chō, southeast of Nara Park, toward the former house
- 2Tour the sukiya-zukuri interior and sense Shiga's daily life and design touches
- 3View each room while picturing the "Takabatake Salon" where writers once gathered
- 4Stroll the garden and the surrounding Takabatake area to enjoy the afterglow of a literary walk
Did you know?
💡 The Former House of Naoya Shiga has long been called the "Takabatake Salon" because it was a gathering place for writers and artists. That Shiga himself took part in designing the building is another intriguing episode, reflecting his care for his home. Today it serves both as a literary museum and as a seminar house of Nara Gakuen.
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