Former Hirakata-juku Ton'ya Official, Ono Heiemon Family, Trade Name Yawataya The Ono family of Okashinmachi in Hirakata-juku on the Tōkaidō served concurrently as village elders and ton'ya (post station) officials from the mid-Edo period, exercising influence over the running of the village and the post station. The family preserves an old plan and ogre-face roof tiles (onigawara) from construction in Shōtoku 6 (1716), but the current building is estimated to date from the late Edo period. The building has a wide frontage facing the highway, and at the front entrance an agemise (also called battari shōgi or age-shōgi, a fold-down bench) and drop-down shutters (sagedo) still exist, preserving the remains of a townhouse (machiya) that once also operated a soy sauce business. In addition, during recent renovations of the main house, a crucian carp that had become a mummy was found in the attic, from when floodwaters from the Yodo River flood of June Meiji 18 reached the eaves.

Originally the home of Ono Heimon-san. It's now a nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property. In the Edo period, they apparently served as toshiyori (elder), next in rank after the shōya (village head), Nakajima-san. One of the four villages. They ran a soy sauce shop, apparently.

The Ono Residence of the former Hirakata-juku ton'ya official. Every time I see an old house like this, I can almost hear the bustle of trade and the voices of passersby from those days. (If only they'd move the utility pole a bit)

Visited while walking the 57 stations of the old Tōkaidō. Former Hirakata-juku ton'ya official, Ono Heiemon family, trade name Yawataya. A historic building with an imposing wide frontage.

Not open to the public, but you can see the exterior.