The Storehouse Across the Street, Dated to the Day
Most of the storehouses at Hinomaru Jozo can only be dated to a broad span of years. The Nishi-gura is the exception. Built across the old highway from the brewery's shop, in the Masuda district of Yokote, it carries a ridge tablet that names both its year and its builder. It is a single-storey earthen storehouse with a gabled iron-sheet roof set on an east-west ridge, its walls in plaster. The brewery it serves has stood in Masuda since 1689.
Why It Was Registered
The Nishi-gura was raised in 1919, as the brewery's output was climbing, and the ridge tablet records that the master carpenter was Sugawara Gizaburo. It was registered as a tangible cultural property in 2002. Though its second floor has since been removed, the tall proportions of the interior still carry the character of Taisho-era work. A documented date and a named craftsman are rare among the compound's storehouses, and they give this building a particular weight for anyone tracing how the brewery grew.
Its position, set apart across the street rather than tucked behind the shop, reflects the pressure of expansion: the site behind the house had filled, so a new storehouse went up opposite.
How to See It
The Nishi-gura is a working brewery building and is not open inside. Its exterior can be seen from the street, across from the main compound. For an interior, visit the brewery's Bunko-gura, its decorated storehouse, open by reservation for a small fee. The on-site shop sells the Mansaku no Hana labels, and the surrounding preservation district offers many more houses to explore.
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Q&A
- How is the Nishi-gura's date known so precisely?
- From its ridge tablet, a wooden record fixed at construction, which gives the year 1919 and names the master carpenter, Sugawara Gizaburo.
- Why does it stand across the street?
- It was built during an expansion, when space behind the shop had run out, so the brewery raised it on the opposite side of the road.
- Can I go inside?
- No. It is closed to the public. The exterior is visible from the street, and the Bunko-gura is open for tours by reservation.
- When was it registered?
- In 2002, as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
Basic Information
| Name | Hinomaru Jozo Honsha Nishi-gura (West Storehouse) |
|---|---|
| Location | 114-2 Nanukamachi, Masuda-machi, Yokote, Akita |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registered | 14 February 2002 |
| Structure | Earthen-walled, single storey, iron-sheet roof; building area 133 sq m |
| Built | 1919 (Taisho 8) |
| Owner | Hinomaru Jozo Co., Ltd. |
| Access | Not open to the public; exterior visible from the street |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties — Hinomaru Jozo Honsha Nishi-gura
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002597
- Masuda Tourism Association — Townscape and Interior Storehouses
- https://masudakanko.com/uchigura/
- Hinomaru Jozo Co., Ltd. — Official Site
- https://hinomaru-sake.com/
Last verified: 2026.07.03