Fifty-Six Meters of Earthen Storehouse
Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse (両関酒造２号蔵, Ryōzeki Shuzō Nigō-gura) is a two-story earthen storehouse in the Dozo-zukuri manner at Ryozeki Sake Brewery in Maemori, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, built in 1908 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 20, 1996, under registration number 05-0003.
It runs 56.04 meters along the ridge (Ketayuki) and 7.86 meters across (Harima). At 416 square meters of building area it is the largest of the five listed buildings at the brewery, the Main Building included. Roof and walls are both finished in Shikkui lime plaster.
The No. 1 Storehouse, Stretched
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the structure of the Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse as the same as that of the No. 1 Storehouse; what differs is size. No. 1, from 1892, is 21.7 meters long. Sixteen years later, No. 2 kept almost the same width, a little over 7.8 meters, and extended the length about two and a half times.
Holding the width steady is what makes that possible: the same members and the same framing can simply be repeated bay after bay. The method first used in No. 1, with side posts set in the walls carrying bracket-like beams, is in effect carried on for the full 56 meters.
Yuzawa City notes that every Ryozeki storehouse is framed in Wagoya, the traditional Japanese roof frame, at a time when many warehouses and factories were turning to imported Yōgoya trusses. The city values the brewery for building at this scale with local methods.
A Floor Raised for Tanks in 1964
The No. 2 Storehouse also records a later change. In 1964 the second floor was raised so that tanks made of epoxy resin would fit, an alteration noted in the Agency's description.
Rather than replace the Meiji building, the brewery changed the floor level and brought the new vessels in. It is a small detail, but it shows a building kept in service by adapting it to new equipment. Yuzawa City says all four storehouses are now used for storage.
The storehouse became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1996 as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the nation. The Agency presents it, together with the Main Building, as a building that expresses Yuzawa's identity as a brewing town.
What to Look for in the No. 2 Storehouse
If you are ever inside, walk the length. Fifty-six meters is roughly two and a half times the No. 1 Storehouse laid end to end, and it is the length, more than any single detail, that sets the Ryozeki No. 2 Storehouse apart.
If the upper floor is accessible, look at the level raised in 1964 and at how the change was fitted into the 1908 frame.
Visiting the Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse
The storehouse is in working use for storing sake, and its interior is not open to the public. Brewery tours are the only way in, and they were suspended as of September 28, 2026.
According to the brewery, tours do not enter the fermentation storehouse for hygiene reasons and cover only some equipment and parts of the buildings. When booking, ask whether the No. 2 Storehouse, and its upper floor, are included. The brewery gives no guidance on photography. Tour conditions and directions are on the Ryozeki Sake Brewery page.
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Q&A
- When was the Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse built?
- In 1908, sixteen years after the No. 1 Storehouse of 1892.
- How big is the Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse?
- It is a two-story earthen storehouse 56.04 meters long and 7.86 meters wide, with a building area of 416 square meters, the largest of the brewery's listed buildings.
- Has the Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse been altered?
- Yes. In 1964 the second floor was raised to make room for epoxy resin tanks.
- Is the Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse built the same way as No. 1?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs says the structure is the same and only the scale is larger. Both are a little over 7.8 meters wide, but the length grows from 21.7 meters to 56.04 meters.
- Can I tour the Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse?
- The interior is not open to the public. Brewery tours were suspended as of September 28, 2026; when they resume, ask at booking whether this storehouse is included.
Basic Information
| Name | Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse (両関酒造２号蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4-3-18 Maemori, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration no. 05-0003 |
| Year Designated | Registered December 20, 1996 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Dozo-zukuri, 2 stories, plastered roof, 56.04 meters by 7.86 meters, building area 416 square meters |
| Owner | Ryozeki Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior closed (brewery tours currently suspended) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 2 Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00000013
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Ryozeki Sake Brewery No. 1 Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00000012
- Yuzawa City: Ryozeki Sake Brewery Main Building and Four Other Buildings (Japanese)
- https://www.city-yuzawa.jp/site/bunkazai/2212.html
- Ryozeki Shuzo Co., Ltd. official website (Japanese)
- https://www.ryozeki.co.jp/
Last verified: 2026.09.27
