Ground made by a river project
Second from the north in the Shinya row, Training Building No. 2 rests on ground that did not exist a century ago. This flat was marsh until the great Omono River improvement works (1917-1938) cut new channels and used the excavated earth to fill the wetland.
On that made ground the cooperative federation raised its eight rice sheds in 1934. No. 2 sits directly south of the northern anchor, sharing the same timber frame and long, low silhouette.
From farm warehouse to campus
Through most of the twentieth century No. 2 held grain. Agricultural warehousing here ended in 1990, and rather than clear the site, Akita turned the sheds over to education.
Seven of the eight became the campus of the Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts and Crafts, forerunner of today's Akita University of Art. The register entry of 2000 recognizes the whole group as a Tangible Cultural Property tied to the historic landscape, separate from the Important Cultural Property tier.
Why the second shed rewards a closer look
Because the sheds are near-identical in size, No. 2 reads as one unit in a repeating sequence, and that repetition is the point. The row shows how a single standard warehouse type was multiplied across reclaimed ground.
Look at the base of the walls, where the level fill meets the timber sill. The line is dead flat, a reminder that the land beneath was engineered before the buildings ever rose.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Akita
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts and Crafts Training
- [ Kakunodate Samurai District & Lake Tazawa Tours ]
Q&A
- What is special about the site of Training Building No. 2?
- It stands on land reclaimed from marsh with soil excavated during the Omono River improvement works, so the ground itself is a product of early-twentieth-century engineering.
- When did the buildings stop storing rice?
- Agricultural use ended in 1990, after which seven of the eight warehouses were converted into an art-college campus.
- What does the registration mean?
- Registration as a Tangible Cultural Property protects the group for its contribution to the historic landscape; it is distinct from the Important Cultural Property designation.
- Are the eight warehouses identical?
- They share the same standard dimensions and form, which is why the row looks so uniform, though each carries minor differences from its later conversion.
Basic Information
| Name | Training Building No. 2 (Jisshuto Nigoto) |
|---|---|
| Location | 12-3 Shinya-Okawamachi, Akita City, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Registered | 26 September 2000 (25th registration round) |
| Registration No. | 05-0058 |
| Count | One building (ittō) |
| Date | 1934 (Showa 9) |
| Structure | Single-story timber, sheet-iron roof; footprint approx. 660 sq m |
| Criterion | Contributing to the nation's historic landscape |
| Owner | Akita University of Art (public university corporation) |
| Access | In use as campus facilities; enquire with the university about visits |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース — 秋田公立美術工芸短期大学実習棟二号棟
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001825
- 文化遺産オンライン — 秋田公立美術工芸短期大学実習棟二号棟
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/148435
- 秋田公立美術大学 公式サイト
- https://www.akibi.ac.jp/
Last verified: 2026.07.08