Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse
The Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse (山内家住宅穀蔵, Yamauchi-ke Jūtaku Kokugura) is a Dozo-zukuri earthen storehouse behind the document and merchandise storehouses on a kimono merchant family's estate in Fukibari, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, built in 1935 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 2, 2007.
It is a two-story building of 5 Ken by 3 ken, with a building area of 53 square meters, under a gabled sheet-metal roof. The other three storehouses have their ridges running east to west, but the Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse is turned north to south.
A kokugura is a storehouse for rice and other grain.
Why the Grain Storehouse Was Registered
The Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it is relatively low for its size, which gives it a steady, settled look.
Its footprint matches the merchandise storehouse at 5 ken by 3 ken, but it is kept lower and turned at right angles behind the document and merchandise storehouses. At the back of the row, it reads as a long, low mass.
What to Look For: Doors on Two Sides
The walls are finished in mortar, and there are hinged double doors on both the long side and the gable end. Doors on two faces make it easy to move bulky loads in and out.
The low height and the gabled roof give the building a squat, stable shape. Compare it with the taller document storehouse: the two share a design, yet they leave very different impressions.
Visiting the Grain Storehouse
The Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse stands at the back of the estate and is not open to the public. Yuzawa City's 2026 open house uses the main house and the document storehouse, not this building.
The Yamauchi Family Residence page covers directions and open-house details.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Akita
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1935. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 2, 2007.
- How big is the Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse?
- It is a two-story earthen storehouse measuring 5 ken by 3 ken, with a building area of 53 square meters.
- How does the Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse differ from the other storehouses?
- Its ridge runs north to south, while the other three run east to west, and it is relatively low for its size, which gives it a stable look.
- What does the exterior of the Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse look like?
- It has mortar walls, hinged double doors on both the long side and the gable end, and a gabled sheet-metal roof.
- Can visitors see the Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse?
- No. It is closed, and Yuzawa City's 2026 open house uses the main house and the document storehouse, not the grain storehouse.
Basic Information
| Name | Yamauchi Family Residence Grain Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-1-4 Fukibari, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2007/10/2 (Heisei 19) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 5 ken by 3 ken; building area 53 square meters |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Grain Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006334
- Cultural Heritage Online: Grain Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/119407
- Yuzawa City: Yamauchi Family Residence Main House and six other buildings (Japanese)
- https://www.city-yuzawa.jp/site/bunkazai/2216.html
- Akita Prefecture: Yamauchi Family Residence, registered 2007 (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.akita.lg.jp/pages/archive/3375
Last verified: 2026.09.25
