During the Edo period, this area was occupied by many senior samurai. The Higuchi family was also a senior samurai family, and are said to have played an important role in the Matsushiro Clan for generations. The fact that the Higuchi residence stands right in front of the Sanada estate is a sign of how much the Sanada Family trusted them.
The Higuchi Family house and its surroundings retain the strong characteristics of this castle town. First, let's look at the Literary and Military School on the right side of the Higuchi Family Residence. There is a road bent like a crank at both ends. This mechanism is called Kagimagari or key bend, and it prevents the enemies from attacking. A crooked road will impair visibility and make it harder for horses to turn.
Next, let's look at the residence. You will notice that the entrance is located at an angle to the gate, with the same logic as the key bend. It is built that way intentionally to make it difficult for the enemy to invade.
Once inside the premises, look up at the roof of the house. There is a strange roof tile on the tip of the roof, but what does the shape resemble? The correct answer is a cat, and it gives this tile a rather straightforward name- “a cat-faced tile” or Nekozura Gawara. Since farmers in this neighborhood had silk farms as a side business, it was crucial to keep the mice that ate the silk moths away. Therefore, the tile of the cat serves as a ward against mice. In the center of a cat's face, one can see drawings of rain clouds or the letter "water" or 水 (mizu) written on it. This is another ward meant to prevent fires.
