Sinheung-dong Japanese-style House

Take a trip back in time at the Japanese-style house in Sinheung-dong, Gunsan

History and story

The Japanese-style house in Sinheung-dong, Gunsan, also known as Hirotsu House, is a two-story wooden home built in the 1930s during the Japanese colonial period by Hirotsu Keisaburo, a Japanese resident who ran a fabric store and a farm in Gunsan. At the time, this area was a wealthy residential neighborhood in Gunsan, and the house itself is a large traditional Japanese home that clearly shows the lifestyle of Japan's upper class. After liberation, the ownership changed and it remained as an enemy property house. Today, it is designated as a Registered Cultural Heritage of Korea No. 183 and is open to visitors under the management of Gunsan City.

Structure and features

• This is a large two-story wooden building in the Japanese yashiki style, finished with roof tiles on its distinctive gabled and hipped-gable roof.
• Two L-shaped buildings are connected to each other, with a beautifully arranged Japanese garden between them.
• Traditional landscape elements such as a natural stone foundation, slim square pillars, a stone lantern, a pond, and trees remain, and throughout the site you can feel the calm atmosphere of an old Japanese upper-class residence.
• On the first floor, there are Korean-style ondol rooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a restroom, while the second floor has Japanese-style tatami rooms and a decorative alcove called a tokonoma, offering a glimpse into the life of a Japanese landlord of that era. Only the exterior of the building can be viewed, so visitors cannot enter the interior.

Why it is great with kids

• The spacious Japanese garden makes it a nice place to walk with your kids while experiencing both nature and traditional architecture.
• Although access to the interior is restricted, you can still admire the historic exterior and share meaningful conversations with your family.
• It was also used as a filming location for famous movies such as The General's Son and Tazza, so you can recall scenes from the films and make special memories.

Visitor information

• Location: 17 Guyeong 1-gil, Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do
• Hours: Weekdays, weekends, and public holidays 10:00 to 18:00
  (Winter season, November to February: 10:00 to 17:00)
• Admission: Free
• Last entry is 20 minutes before closing
• Convenience facilities: High chair, nursing room, diaper changing table, stroller rental, parking, and reservations are not available.
• Parking tip: There is no separate parking space, so you can park at the Mallaengi Village Public Parking Lot behind the house.

Why this place matters

The Japanese-style house in Sinheung-dong, Gunsan, holds the painful history of the Japanese colonial period. It is a meaningful place where you can visit with your family and your kids, experience a site of modern Korean history along with Japanese architecture and a traditional garden, and talk together about Korean history.

"If you are traveling in Gunsan, spend some time with your kids in this special place and take in the traces of the past and the surrounding nature."