The Younger Twin of the Upper Storehouse
The Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse (渡辺彦兵衛商店下蔵) is a clay-walled sake storehouse of the early 19th century in Shitamachi, Gojome Town, Akita Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 20, 1996 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey clay-walled storehouse with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 254 square metres; registration number 05-0008.
The brewery, now Fukurokuju Brewery, calls it the lower sake storehouse. It is the second of a matched pair with the Upper Storehouse and is thought to be slightly later.
The Second of a Pair
The Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse survived a great fire of the Taisho era together with the Upper Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The brewery dates the fire to October 1921 and says these two sake storehouses were all that remained of its buildings.
According to the Agency, the Lower Storehouse matches the upper one closely in size and wall design, but small differences in its structure suggest it was built a little later. Its building area is 254 square metres, against 284 square metres for the Upper Storehouse.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape, noting that, with the Office and Residence, the pair of storehouses is a familiar landmark of a townscape known for sake brewing.
Part of its interest lies in the comparison: two storehouses survive side by side, and the differences in their structure hint at the order in which they were built.
What to Look For
The Lower Storehouse is best seen alongside the upper one. From outside the two look almost identical in size and wall design, yet the Agency notes small structural differences. If you get the chance to go inside, compare its post and rafter spacing with the two and a half ken and three shaku of the Upper Storehouse.
Visiting
The Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse belongs to a working brewery, and the interior can only be seen on a brewery tour or a similar occasion. The brewery's website says tours are suspended for the time being (checked October 19, 2026), so contact the brewery before planning a visit.
Q&A
- When was the Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the early 19th century, a little later than the Upper Storehouse.
- How does the Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse differ from the Upper Storehouse?
- Size and wall design are almost the same, but the structure differs slightly (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The lower one covers 254 square metres, the upper 284 square metres.
- Did the Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse survive the fire of 1921?
- Yes. The brewery says it and the Upper Storehouse were the only buildings left.
- Can I go inside the Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse?
- The brewery's website says tours are suspended for the time being (checked October 19, 2026); contact the brewery first.
- When was the Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse registered?
- On December 20, 1996 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse (渡辺彦兵衛商店下蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 48 Shitamachi, Gojome Town, Minamiakita District, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1996/12/20 (Heisei 8) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey clay-walled storehouse, sheet-iron roof, 254 m² |
| Owner | Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Co., Ltd. (renamed Fukurokuju Brewery Co., Ltd. in 2004) |
| Public Access | Working brewery (tours suspended for now, per the brewery) |
References
- Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000018
- Watanabe Hikobei Shoten Lower Storehouse (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/135788
- History (Fukurokuju Brewery, Japanese)
- https://fukurokuju.jp/history/
- Brewery Tour (Fukurokuju Brewery, Japanese)
- https://fukurokuju.jp/brewery/
Last verified: 2026.10.19
