The historic residence of the Ogino family is located roughly in the center of Kumagawa-juku post town. For generations, the family operated a business called Kuramiya, which in the Edo period (1603–1867) specialized in transporting goods on foot and horseback from Kumagawa-juku to various destinations.
The main house was built around 1811 and is the oldest remaining traditional machiya townhouse in the area. Some of its architectural characteristics are particular to Kumagawa-juku, for example, the earthen-floor area in the entryway is quite wide to accommodate commercial activities. In addition, features such as the adjacent baggage storehouse and the stone-paved passage leading all the way to the back of the premises were typical for homes of affluent merchants. Thus, the Ogino family residence is a valuable example of the type of property favored by wealthy business owners who made up the core of the shipping industry in Kumagawa-juku.
The historic residence of the Ogino Family was nationally designated an Important Cultural Property in 2014.
