A Grand Restaurant of Akita Cedar
The Ryotei Kaneyu (料亭金勇, Ryōtei Kaneyū) is a large two-storey timber restaurant building of 1937 in Yanagimachi, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 9, 1998 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The name is read Kaneyu, not Kinyu. It is now open to the public as the Noshiro City Former Ryotei Kaneyu.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a two-storey timber building with a sheet-metal roof and a building area of 469 square metres; registration number 05-0034, owned by Noshiro City.
A Restaurant of the Timber Town
According to the facility, the Kaneyu was founded in 1890 by the first 金谷勇助 and was widely used for banquets, business entertaining and weddings. The present building was put up in 1937 by the second head of the family, with 45 carpenters and 20 labourers employed throughout, and was completed in November.
The restaurant closed at the end of August 2008 and was donated to Noshiro City in 2009. The city removed later additions, strengthened the building against earthquakes and opened it in December 2013 as a tourism and community facility (Noshiro City Former Ryotei Kaneyu).
Why It Was Registered
The Ryotei Kaneyu was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a large Japanese-style building of one of the prefecture's leading old restaurants, widely known as a symbol of Noshiro, the home of Akita cedar.
According to the facility, natural Akita cedar was felled in the Nibuna national forest and brought to Noshiro by hand, forest railway and raft; the building shows how carefully chosen timber was used without waste.
What to Look For
Outside, railings run along the upper floor and eaves along the ground floor, with hip-and-gable roofs at both ends of the front and sides, a lively composition. The rooms are finely made, led by the 110-mat banquet hall upstairs (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization points to the ceiling of the Mangetsu room, made from a single board 9.1 metres long, and the 110-mat hall of about 180 square metres.
Visiting
According to the facility, it is open for viewing from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., free of charge, and closed from December 29 to January 3; viewing may not be possible when rooms are hired out. Guided tours by volunteers (booking required) cost 300 yen for adults. Visitors are asked to wear socks to protect the building.
The address is 13-8 Yanagimachi, Noshiro City, about 10 minutes on foot from JR Noshiro Station or about 15 minutes by car from the Noshiro-minami or Noshiro-higashi interchange of the Akita Expressway, with visitor parking on site. Enquiries go to the facility (0185-55-3355).
Q&A
- When was the Ryotei Kaneyu built?
- In 1937 (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Noshiro City Former Ryotei Kaneyu).
- How is 金勇 read?
- Kaneyu (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What should I look for?
- The 110-mat upstairs banquet hall and the Mangetsu room ceiling made from a single 9.1-metre board (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization).
- Can I visit the Ryotei Kaneyu?
- Yes, from 9:30 to 16:30, free of charge; guided tours are by reservation for a fee (Noshiro City Former Ryotei Kaneyu).
- When was the Ryotei Kaneyu registered?
- On October 9, 1998.
Basic Information
| Name | Ryotei Kaneyu (料亭金勇) |
|---|---|
| Location | 13-8 Yanagimachi, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/10/09 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber building, sheet-metal roof, building area 469 square metres |
| Owner | Noshiro City |
| Public Access | Open as the Noshiro City Former Ryotei Kaneyu (free; closed over New Year) |
References
- Ryotei Kaneyu (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000810
- About the Former Ryotei Kaneyu (Noshiro City, Japanese)
- https://www.kaneyu.jp/?page_id=554
- Visiting (Noshiro City Former Ryotei Kaneyu, Japanese)
- https://www.kaneyu.jp/?page_id=298
- Access and parking (Noshiro City Former Ryotei Kaneyu, Japanese)
- https://www.kaneyu.jp/?page_id=138
- Former Ryotei Kaneyu (Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization, Japanese)
- https://www.tohokukanko.jp/attractions/detail_1006704.html
Last verified: 2026.10.14