The Brick Symbol of the Iwase Bunko
The Nishio City Iwase Bunko Library Book Stack (西尾市岩瀬文庫書庫) is a brick book stack of around 1919, three storeys over a basement, at the Iwase Bunko in Kamezawa-cho, Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture, which in 1999 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a tiled roof and a building area of 80 square metres, owned by Nishio City and registered as a model of design.
The Agency explains that it was built for the library the merchant Iwase Yasuke founded to open his collection to the public.
Structure
According to the Agency, the brick exterior with stone accents over and below the windows is well composed; inside, timber posts carry three floors for the books.
The Iwase Bunko notes a mixed structure of brick walls with timber floors and roof, faced with Tokoname tiles imitating header-bond brick, designed by the Nishihara office of Nagoya.
What to Look For
The Iwase Bunko notes the distinctive mix of a Japanese tiled roof with a Western-style decorated doorway and stone sills. The made-to-measure shelves were left unboarded and set on slatted floors to keep out damp.
The collection was kept here for about eighty years, until December 2002.
Visiting the Nishio City Iwase Bunko Library Book Stack
The Iwase Bunko says the interior is usually shown once a year during the Nishio Book Festival, but not this year.
The history of the Iwase Bunko and visiting information are on the group page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Aichi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nishio City Iwase Bunko Library Book Stack
- [ Nagoya Castle & Atsuta Shrine History Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the book stack built?
- Around 1919.
- What are its walls like?
- Brick faced with Tokoname tiles imitating header-bond brick.
- What is special about the shelves?
- Made to measure, unboarded and on slatted floors to keep out damp.
- Are books still kept there?
- No; they were moved to a new store completed in 2003.
- Can I see inside?
- Usually during the Nishio Book Festival, but not this year.
Basic Information
| Name | Nishio City Iwase Bunko Library Book Stack (西尾市岩瀬文庫書庫) |
|---|---|
| Location | 474 Kamezawa-cho, Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1999/6/7 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Brick, three storeys and one basement, tiled roof, building area 80 square metres |
| Owner | Nishio City |
| Public Access | Interior usually shown during the Nishio Book Festival |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Iwase Bunko Book Stack (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001113
- Cultural Heritage Online: Iwase Bunko Book Stack (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/181023
- Iwase Bunko: The Old Book Stack (Japanese)
- https://iwasebunko.jp/about/oldarchive.html
Last verified: 2026.09.29
