Former Ohara's House

The Former Ohara Family Residence, now known as Ohara House Katalyzer, is located in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter in Okayama Prefecture. Construction of the main building began in 1795, with the tatami room and storehouse added during the mid-Meiji period (1868-1912), giving it its present form. The residence is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and the Ohara family continued to live there even after receiving this designation.

The Ohara family has contributed to the commerce and culture of Kurashiki for over 300 years. The sixth generation, Koshiro, founded Kurashiki Spinning (Kurabo), while the seventh generation, Magosaburo, established the renowned Ohara Museum of Art. The residence opened to the public in April 2018, with the name "Katalyzer" derived from the English word "catalyze," reflecting the family's vision for it to be not just a memorial museum, but a place where people can think about the future.

Visitors can explore the historic grounds featuring stone-paved streets lined with white walls, burnt wooden boards, and storehouses that evoke a journey back in time. The Nakakura storehouse displays the Ohara family's timeline and artifacts, including a stone engraved with the "Teachings of Two and Three," which embodies the family's philosophy of "Even if you are number one, think of yourself as number two or three."

The Contemplation Room offers views of the Japanese garden, which Magosaburo personally helped create. Additional highlights include creative exhibits such as "Pouring Words" featuring quotes from successive family heads, and a book cafe surrounded by approximately 2,000 books on classical music, birds, and folk art from Soichiro's collection.

Admission costs 500 yen for adults, 400 yen for high school students and younger, with free entry for preschoolers. Group rates (20 or more people) are 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for high school students and below. The residence is approximately 15 minutes on foot from JR Kurashiki Station. By car, it takes approximately 20 minutes from Kurashiki IC on the Sanyo Expressway or Hayashima IC on the Setouchi Chuo Expressway, though no parking is available on-site. The property is located at 1-2-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture 710-0046, directly across the Kurashiki River from the famous Ohara Museum of Art.