Nakamura Residence (National Important Cultural Property)

The Nakamura Family Residence is an old Ryukyuan house designated as a National Important Cultural Property located in Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami County, Okinawa Prefecture. The Nakamura family, which has been in existence for about 500 years, is said to have been a family that served the lord of Nakagusuku Castle built by Gosamaru. The present residence, built in the middle of the 18th century, still retains the appearance of a typical residence of an upper class farm family at that time. Surrounded by fukugi and stonewalls, the site has all the features of prewar Okinawan architecture, including the main house (ufuya), a detached house (ashagi), a kitchen (tongwa), a high storehouse, and a livestock shed (hulu). The low roof to protect the house from typhoons, the roof structure of red tiles hardened with plaster, and the installation of shisa are all examples of the wisdom of adapting to the subtropical climate. As one of the few traditional buildings that survived the fires of World War II, it is a valuable place to learn about Ryukyuan life.