The Old Ushijima Residence in Asahi-cho of Saga City was built in the early 18th century and is estimated to be the oldest Machiya^※1 building in the city aside from Saga Castle. It was discovered in the family registry （Saga Kamado-cho） that a foot soldier, Takayanagi Iisuke, who served as Otonayaku^※2 in the Edo Period lived and ran a wholesale business here in the middle 19th century.

As seen in the old printed book “Saga Hitori Annai”, Kouyou Iyosuke’s shop, “Tobacco Nakagai Sho Kai Riku Unsou Ten” -the cigarette brokerage dealer and ocean land carrier business shop- was introduced here in 1890, and he ran an oil selling business here through the latter half of the Meiji era. Afterwards the building was used as a residence, shop, warehouse, and various other purposes.

The large Doma^※3 and sturdy framework are characteristics of middle Edo period buildings, while the Ishou^※4 of the tatami rooms and Omotegamae^※5 are indicative of the Meiji period.

The Old Ushijima Residence, owned by Mr Ushijima since World War II, was sadly dismantled in 1993 during the prefectural road widening construction. The materials were then relocated to be reassembled and restored to its appearance as it was at the end of the Meiji era. The building was then designated as an important cultural property of Saga City in 1995.