Traditional Machiya in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo: Storefront Townhouses Near Yushima Tenjin
湯島の町屋：湯島天神近くに残る商家建築
After spending about an hour at the Kyū-Iwasaki-tei Gardens (旧岩崎邸庭園), I made my way toward Yushima Tenjin Shrine (湯島天満宮). As I walked through the surrounding streets of Bunkyo Ward, the grand Meiji-era estate gradually gave way to a quieter residential neighborhood. It was here that I came across a few older wooden buildings with storefronts called traditional machiya (町屋).
Machiya are a type of urban townhouse that combine commercial and residential functions under one roof. Originating in the medieval period (roughly 1185–1603), they became especially widespread during the Edo period (1603–1868) and continued evolving through the Meiji era and even into the early postwar Shōwa period. Historically, they housed merchants, artisans, and craftsmen, with the shop facing the street and living quarters extending toward the rear and the second floor.
Many of the machiya I have encountered in both Tokyo and Yokohama serve as restaurants, often specializing in traditional Japanese cuisine. Others combine residential space with workshops, small offices, or retail shops, maintaining a mixed-use character that has defined machiya for centuries.
The two examples I photographed in Yushima, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, reflect this enduring versatility. The first building may once have operated as an udon shop, suggested by the small corner window where customers might have watched noodles being prepared by hand. The second machiya now houses a Chinese restaurant, a reminder that these structures continue to adapt to contemporary needs while retaining their historic form.
What particularly drew my attention to the first machiya were several architectural details. Mounted within a recessed wall panel is a brass decorative element protected by chicken wire, which was likely installed to prevent birds from nesting. Near the upper right façade, a circular emblem appears to be a kamon (家紋), or family crest, hinting at the lineage or identity of the original occupants.
My eye was also drawn to the use of namako-kabe (海鼠壁), or “sea-slug wall,” visible along the lower portion of the building. This distinctive style, characterized by raised white plaster latticework over dark tiles, is both decorative and functional. The thick plaster joints improve durability against rain and wind and, perhaps more importantly in historic urban environments, enhance fire resistance.
Seeing this detail immediately reminded me of the preserved traditional houses in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture, where namako-kabe is prominently featured. In that coastal town, the striking white lattice pattern has become emblematic of Edo-period architecture, and serves as a visual link between distant regions of Japan and the shared architectural solutions that once shaped everyday urban life.
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