Tan Ky Old House

A 200-year-old merchant house in Hoi An's ancient town, blending Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese architectural styles and still inhabited by the same family after seven generations.

What to know before you go

• Tan Ky Old House is an architectural masterpiece that reflects the cosmopolitan character of Hoi An during its peak as a Southeast Asian trading port. The facade follows Vietnamese style, interior structural beams use Japanese crab-shell patterns (for earthquake resistance), and the decoration of the rooms draws on Chinese motifs — all harmoniously integrated under one roof.
• The house features two main living areas connected by a courtyard open to the sky, a design that regulates airflow in the tropical climate and allows rainwater to flow through a channel in the floor to a drainage system below. The walls bear Chinese calligraphy poems inlaid in mother-of-pearl, a rare decorative technique.
• The family still resides on the upper floor and is involved in welcoming guests. Guides are available to explain the significance of each room, artifact, and architectural element. Flood-mark notches carved into the walls inside record the water levels of the frequent floods that have struck Hoi An over the centuries.