Mihoko MUTO
This study examines the Motogoya (mining office) at the Sugaya Tatara Ironmaking Village, the only surviving ironmaking complex in the Chugoku region. An analysis of historical materials, based on field surveys, reveals the characteristics of the Motogoya, which functioned not merely as an administrative office but as a multifunctional facility. Centered on the Choba (accounting office) and Kanetsukuriba (workshop), the Motogoya served as a hub for both iron production and the social infrastructure of village life. By clarifying the significance of the Motogoya, this paper proposes a new framework for understanding traditional ironmaking complexes.