A taste of days gone by in one of Inuyama Castle Town's residences of old

The Former Isobe Residence is a traditional merchant’s family home (machiya) built between 1865 and the Taisho era (1912–1926) in an architectural style typical of the final years of the Edo period (1603–1868). The Isobe family operated a kimono fabric business called "Kashiwaya Magobei" from the Edo period until World War II, after which they focused on selling tea.

The building faces Hon-machi Street, the castle town’s main thoroughfare, and stands out from other structures along the street because of its rounded roof (mukuri yane). Such roofs were popular among the merchant class during the Edo period, but the Isobe Residence is the only building of its kind in Inuyama that still has this architectural feature.

The property is significantly larger than the narrow, 6.8-meter-wide front suggests. Beyond the main house, the 58-meter-long complex includes a detached back parlor as accommodation for guests, a courtyard, and several storehouses. This configuration was chosen because property taxes in the Edo period were based on the width of street frontage.

The city of Inuyama conducted comprehensive repairs on the Isobe Residence from 2004 to 2005, restoring the property to its late-1800s appearance. All of its buildings are registered Tangible Cultural Properties.