The Taisho-Era Twin at the Back of the Lot
At the rear of the Hinomaru Jozo compound in Masuda, in the city of Yokote, the Higashi-ato-gura stands to the east of an older storehouse, the two of them known together as the meoto-gura, or married pair. It shares its neighbour's ridge span and, from outside, much of its appearance. Look at the roof, though, and the difference shows. Hinomaru Jozo has made sake on this site since 1689 and is the last brewery in the town.
Why It Was Registered
Registered as a tangible cultural property in 2002, the Higashi-ato-gura is thought to date from the early Taisho era, when the brewery was expanding its plant. Its roof is built as a king-post truss, and its timbers run slimmer throughout than those of its Meiji-period partner. Where the older storehouse relies on heavy stacked beams, this one uses a lighter engineered frame, evidence of how carpentry was changing as the twentieth century opened.
Set the two side by side and the pair becomes a short lesson in construction history, one span built two ways, a generation apart.
How to See It
As a working brewery building, the Higashi-ato-gura is not open to visitors. The place to step inside a Masuda storehouse is the brewery's Bunko-gura, a decorated interior storehouse shown by reservation for a small fee. The on-site shop carries the Mansaku no Hana range, and the wider preservation district along the old street has many houses open to look through.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Akita
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hinomaru Brewery Headquarters East Back Brewery
- [ Kakunodate Samurai District & Lake Tazawa Tours ]
Q&A
- What is a king-post truss?
- A roof frame in which a central vertical post ties the ridge to a horizontal beam, spreading the load efficiently. It gives a lighter structure than the older stacked-beam method.
- Can I visit it?
- No. It is part of the working brewery and closed to the public. The Bunko-gura is the storehouse open for tours.
- How does it differ from its paired storehouse?
- The Higashi-ato-gura is the later, Taisho-era building, with a truss roof and slimmer timbers; its partner is earlier Meiji work with heavy beams.
- When was it built?
- In the early Taisho era, during the brewery's expansion. It was registered as a tangible cultural property in 2002.
Basic Information
| Name | Hinomaru Jozo Honsha Higashi-ato-gura (East Rear Storehouse) |
|---|---|
| Location | 114-2 Nanukamachi, Masuda-machi, Yokote, Akita |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registered | 14 February 2002 |
| Structure | Earthen-walled, single storey with part two storeys, iron-sheet roof; building area 179 sq m |
| Built | Early Taisho era |
| Owner | Hinomaru Jozo Co., Ltd. |
| Access | Not open to the public (working brewery building) |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties — Hinomaru Jozo Honsha Higashi-ato-gura
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002596
- 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