Chizu-shuku in present-day Yazu-gun, Tottori Prefecture once flourished as the largest post town in the prefecture in the Edo period (1603-1868). The old houses and the guideposts still remain in this historic town. Among the houses on the old street stands out the residence of the Ishitani family, who had owned huge areas of agricultural and forest land since the Edo period. Denshiro Ishitani, the head of the family in the Meiji period (1868-1912) was a member of the national parliament.

Denshiro conducted a large-scale repair work to the former building in 1919, and about ten years later, completed the present residence with 40 rooms and 7 store houses on the site with an area of about 10,000 square meters. The main building has the features of old samurai residences. The householder’s room facing the garden is built in Shin-zukuri style. The stroll style pond garden can be viewed from each room. Several architectural styles are in good harmony with each other in this magnificent residence. It is registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property and designated as a municipal Cultural Property.