A Storehouse at the Back of the Lot, Once Two Storeys High
Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse (勇駒酒造本社西蔵, Isamigoma Shuzō Honsha Nishigura) is a single-storey Dozo-zukuri earthen storehouse from the end of the Meiji era in Masuda, Masuda-machi, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture, and it was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 14, 2002. It is about 19 meters long and covers 174 square meters.
The Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse stands at the far western end of the lot, the point farthest from the road, just north of the South Storehouse. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs it was originally a two-storey building; the upper floor has since been taken out.
Three Tiers of Beams and a Tall Interior
The Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse was registered as a model of design under registration number 05-0088. What the agency's notes single out is the roof structure.
A beam carries short vertical struts (tsuka), the struts carry another beam, and the arrangement repeats until three tiers of beams support the ridge and the purlins. With the upper floor gone, this stacked framing rises clear overhead, and the agency describes the interior as both tall and spacious.
If the East Storehouse on the same lot is remarkable for its length, the West Storehouse is remarkable for its height. It also dates from the same period as the western extension of the East Storehouse, the end of the Meiji era.
White Plaster Walls and a Gabled Roof
The outer walls of the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse are finished in white Shikkui lime plaster, and the Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof is clad in sheet metal, its ridge running east to west along the axis of the lot, the same way as the East Storehouse.
If you get inside, count the tiers. Following beam, strut and beam upward from the lowest level, you reach the ridge only above the third beam.
Visiting the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse
Set at the very back of the lot, the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse can hardly be seen from the street. The former brewery is used by the restaurant Kurawo, and the Masuda tourism association says visits require an advance reservation.
Published sources do not say whether the interior of the West Storehouse is included in visits. When booking, ask whether you can be shown the West Storehouse and whether photography is allowed.
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Q&A
- When was the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the end of the Meiji era.
- What is special about the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse?
- Its roof is carried on three tiers of beams stacked on short struts, which support the ridge and purlins and create a tall, open interior.
- Was the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse always single-storey?
- No. It was built with two storeys, and the upper floor was later removed.
- How big is the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse?
- About 19 meters long with a footprint of 174 square meters.
- Can I see inside the Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse?
- Visits to the former brewery are by advance reservation, but published sources do not say whether the West Storehouse is shown. Ask when you book.
Basic Information
| Name | Isamigoma Sake Brewery Head Office West Storehouse (勇駒酒造本社西蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 64 Nakamachi, Masuda, Masuda-machi, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration no. 05-0088 |
| Year Designated | Registered February 14, 2002 (Heisei 14) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen storehouse, 1 storey, sheet-metal roof, about 19 meters long, building area 174 square meters |
| Owner | Haba Koji Limited Partnership (合資会社羽場こうじ店) |
| Public Access | At the back of the lot, hardly visible from the street; interior access unconfirmed (visits to the former brewery by advance reservation) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Isamigoma Shuzo Honsha Nishigura
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002600
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Isamigoma Shuzo Honsha Higashigura
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002599
- Masuda Tourism Association: Open Facilities (in Japanese)
- https://masuda-matta.com/facility/
Last verified: 2026.10.02
