Gyoka

Gyoka (Japanese: 漁家, lit. "fishing house") serve as a fishermen's house in Japanese village settings, found throughout Japan, most notably in Niigata Prefecture. It is a category of the Japanese vernacular architecture known as Minka ("folk dwellings"). Gyoka houses typically met the needs of wealthy merchants and landowners, most often fishers.^[1]

Since they had wealthy owners, Gyoka became characterized by their elaborate, opulent architectural design. They often included inner courtyards, gardens, wooden sliding doors, and woven straw tatami mats.^[1]