The Former Toki Family Western-Style Residence is a historic Western-style building located in the Taisho Romance Area of Kaminomachi, Numata City, Gunma Prefecture. It is registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
The building was originally constructed in Hiroo, Tokyo, in the late Taisho period as part of the residence of Viscount Toki Akira. It was later relocated and preserved in Numata, a place closely connected with the Toki family. Today, it offers a valuable glimpse into the residential architecture and lifestyle of Japan’s upper classes during the early twentieth century.
The Toki family was a distinguished samurai family descended from the Seiwa-Genji lineage. During the Edo period, members of the family held important positions in the shogunate, including Osaka Castle Keeper, Kyoto Shoshidai, and senior councilor.
In 1742, Toki Yoritoshi became the first lord of Numata Domain. The Toki family subsequently governed the Tone-Numata region for approximately 129 years, until the Meiji Restoration.
Following the abolition of the feudal domains, the Toki family moved to Tokyo and was granted the title of viscount by the new Meiji government.
In 1924, Viscount Toki Akira built a new residence in Hiroo, Tokyo, following the devastation caused by the Great Kanto Earthquake. The Western-style section of this residence is the building now known as the Former Toki Family Western-Style Residence.
In 1989, Akira’s son, Saneaki Toki, offered the residence to Numata City. It was relocated to Numata Park in 1990 and later moved again in 2020 to its present location in Kaminomachi, where it became one of the central historic buildings of the Taisho Romance Area.
The residence was designed by Heizaburo Ito and constructed by Jozaburo Morita. Its exterior reflects the influence of Jugendstil, the German interpretation of the Art Nouveau movement that was fashionable at the time.
The building is particularly notable for its steeply pitched roof covered with dark gray natural slate and its distinctive ox-eye windows, known in French as oeil-de-boeuf.
The first floor features an ochre-colored German-style wall finish, while the foundations are constructed with irregularly arranged natural stone. These elements give the residence both a substantial and sophisticated appearance.
The interior combines Western-style and Japanese-style rooms, creating a form of pseudo-Western architecture characteristic of the period. White plaster walls, arched windows, and restrained decorative details create an elegant yet comfortable atmosphere.
Rather than relying on excessive ornamentation, the residence emphasizes refined simplicity and quality of living, making it an important example of the residential architecture of Japan’s aristocracy during the Taisho era.
The area around the Former Toki Family Western-Style Residence has been developed as the Taisho Romance Area. As part of an initiative to revitalize central Numata, historic buildings dating from the late Meiji and Taisho periods have been relocated and brought together to create a distinctive historic streetscape.
The Former Numata Savings Bank was built around 1908 and served as the former headquarters of Numata Savings Bank, one of the predecessor institutions of today’s Gunma Bank.
This two-story wooden building features a hipped roof, plaster walls, and other characteristic elements of Meiji-period pseudo-Western architecture. Its interior includes a ceiling decorated with Kin-kara-kami, an elaborate embossed decorative paper. The building is designated an Important Cultural Property of Gunma Prefecture.
The Former Numata Church Memorial Hall is a wooden church building constructed in 1914. It is one of the oldest surviving Christian church buildings in Gunma Prefecture.
Its steeply pitched roof and tall, narrow windows are characteristic of Western-style architecture from the Taisho period. The building has been preserved and is registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Former Kume Family Western-Style Residence was built around 1912 in Yoyogi-Uehara, Tokyo. It was once reportedly used as a reception house associated with the Kishu-Tokugawa family.
The residence was relocated to Numata in 2023. Its substantial tiled exterior and gabled roof preserve the dignified appearance of an early twentieth-century residence.
The Ubukata Memorial Library is a literary museum dedicated to the achievements of tanka poet Tatsue Ubukata (1904–2000).
The museum displays materials related to her literary career, including her award-winning collection Shiroi Kaze no Naka de, which received the Yomiuri Literature Prize. Special exhibitions and workshops are also held, making the museum an important center for introducing the culture of tanka poetry.
The Taisho Romance Area offers combination tickets and guided tours that allow visitors to explore several historic buildings while learning about modern Japanese architecture and literature.
Public facilities such as Terrace Numata are also located nearby, making the district a convenient starting point for exploring central Numata on foot.
The area is approximately 10 minutes by car from the Numata Interchange on the Kan-Etsu Expressway.
From JR Numata Station, take a bus to the Kaminomachi stop. The Former Toki Family Western-Style Residence is approximately a one-minute walk from the bus stop.
The historic buildings of the Taisho Romance Area, including the Former Toki Family Western-Style Residence, are more than preserved architectural monuments. They are important cultural assets that help pass the history and traditions of Numata on to future generations.
A visit provides an opportunity to learn about the Toki family’s long connection with the Tone-Numata region while appreciating the elegant architecture and lifestyle of Japan’s Taisho period.
Take a leisurely walk through the district and discover how history, architecture, literature, and local culture come together in this distinctive corner of Numata.