The Largest Building on the Site
Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House is a two-storey timber hall of the late Meiji era at Ueno in Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture, entered on the national register as Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 18 April 2008.
It stands east of the shop and main house, 29 metres along its length and 10 metres across, roofed in the gabled kirizuma form with the ridge running north to south. At 788 square metres it is the biggest of the ten registered items.
The roof carries sangawara pantiles. The walls are shinkabe work finished in white shikkui plaster, and the roof is carried on a wagoya frame of stacked beams rather than a truss.
The Low Skirt of Aisle Roofs
What sets this hall apart is its skirt. A geya aisle 4.5 to 5.5 metres wide runs round all four sides beneath the main roof. High gable above, long low roof below: that two-part silhouette is what you remember of Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the wide aisles as the building's distinguishing feature. It was listed under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape.
The aisles are working space, not decoration. Washing and mash preparation happened under them, and the western aisle held a brick furnace room. The chimney that rises nearby was built to draw its smoke.
Reading the Frame from Outside
The interior is closed, but the walls give away a good deal. Because they are built as shinkabe, the posts stand proud of the white plaster, so the spacing of the frame is visible from the yard.
Walk round to the gable end and the triangle rises straight out of the aisle roof. Only from this side does the building show its full two storeys; from the long side it reads as low and stretched. The same hall changes character with the angle you take.
The north brewing house of the Taisho era stands immediately beyond it. The two gabled roofs in a row are the view that carries furthest from the road.
Conditions for Seeing It
Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House is a working brewery building and is not open inside. No tour is advertised by the company.
The exterior can be seen from inside the gate. For the overlap of main roof and aisle roof, step through the gate and look east. From the road, the upper roof and the chimney clear the stone wall.
Directions to the compound and the shop's opening hours are collected on the Yoshino Sake Brewery page. Ask at the counter before photographing within the grounds.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Chiba
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House
- [ Book Tokyo Disney Resort Tickets ]
Q&A
- Can I go inside Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House?
- No. It is a working brewing hall and the interior is closed, with no tour advertised. The exterior is visible from inside the gate.
- How big is Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House?
- It measures 29 metres by 10 metres, with a building area of 788 square metres, making it the largest registered building on the site.
- When was Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House built?
- In the late Meiji era, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs database.
- What are the aisles around Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House for?
- They are working space. The lean-to roofs are 4.5 to 5.5 metres wide and sheltered tasks such as washing and mash preparation.
- What heritage status does Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House hold?
- It is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, entered on the register on 18 April 2008.
Basic Information
| Name | Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House |
|---|---|
| Location | 571 Koshigoe, Ueno, Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/4/18 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber-framed, 2 storeys, tile roof, building area 788 square metres |
| Owner | Yoshino Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior not open; exterior only |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Yoshino Sake Brewery South Brewing House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007009
- Chiba Prefectural Board of Education: Yoshino Shuzo Tenpo ken Shuoku hoka
- https://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/kyouiku/bunkazai/bunkazai/q111-057.html
- Yoshino Shuzo Co., Ltd., official site (Koshigoi)
- https://www.koshigoi.com
Last verified: 2026.09.17
