The Chimney the Harbour Could See
Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney (梅美人酒造釜場及び煙突, Umebijin Shuzō Kamaba oyobi Entotsu) is a single-storey timber structure of 1928 at 1557-2 Yawatahama City, Ehime Prefecture, entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in 2004. It covers a building area of 157 square metres and lies west of the office, its ridge running east to west.
A kamaba is where water is boiled to steam rice. A koshiki, the tall steaming tub, sits over the cauldron, and rice is cooked by the vapour rising through it. Two demands therefore shaped this building: raise heat, and let the heat and moisture out again.
The roof is gabled, Kirizuma-zukuri, laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles. Its frame is a king-post truss, and a raised monitor roof runs along the ridge with openings in its flanks. Steam leaves through it. Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney was designed, in the most literal sense, to let vapour go.
Two Structures, One Registration
The Japanese name joins two things with the word oyobi, meaning "and". A timber boiler house and a brick chimney, unlike each other in material and in method of building, are registered together as one entry covering 1 building. Function is what binds them: the chimney draws the smoke of the fire that heats the cauldron.
The chimney rises at the southern part of the west gable wall, square in section, built up in brick. On its south face, white tiles spell out the brewery's name so that it can be read at a distance. The Yawatahama City Furusato Tourism Corporation gives the height as 23 metres and reports that it was raised to mark the enthronement of the Shōwa emperor. Sources differ slightly in how they transcribe the lettering.
The registration reason recorded for this entry is contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the chimney makes a fine landmark seen from the port. That is a different ground from the one used for the office nearby, which was listed as a model of design. Registration took effect on 2 March 2004 under number 38-0056.
What to Look For
Look at the chimney from a distance first. Yawatahama opens toward its harbour, and there are angles, at the end of a narrow lane or from a bridge, where the brick shaft appears without warning above the roofs. Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney earned its reputation as a local marker through exactly this kind of sighting.
Closer in, study how the lettering is made. The characters are not painted on. Tiles of a different colour are set into the brickwork, so the name is part of the wall rather than a coating over it.
If you get inside, look up. A king-post truss hangs its rafters from a central vertical member, a European system in which the forces travel differently from the stacked beams of traditional Japanese roof framing. Industrial buildings in Japan took it up quickly in the early twentieth century.
Then look at what sits under the monitor roof. Floor, cauldron, steaming tub and roof opening form one continuous device for moving heat upward.
Visiting
At Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney, the chimney can be seen from public streets, but the boiler house itself belongs to a working brewery and reaching it requires permission. Ehime Prefecture's tourism site states that visits are free, that a booking must be made by the previous day, that hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and that Sunday is a closed day. A paid tour including a souvenir is listed at 3,000 yen, by reservation only and offered seasonally.
For a fuller explanation, the Yawatahama City Furusato Tourism Corporation arranges a brewery experience guided by the company president at 2,640 yen per person, lasting about 1 hour. It runs May through November and is not offered during the brewing season, December to April. Groups of 2 to 10 are accepted and bookings are normally due 2 weeks in advance. Published prices differ, so confirm on 0894-22-0312.
No source states a photography policy. Even for a shot of the chimney, ask first if you are stepping onto the property.
Access: about 5 minutes by car from Yawatahama Port, 1.3 km, or about 7 minutes from JR Yawatahama Station, 2.1 km. The Iyotetsu Nanyo bus stop Shiritsu Byoin-mae and the Uwajima Jidosha stop Saibansho-mae are each 2 minutes on foot. Free parking for 26 cars.
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Q&A
- How tall is the chimney at Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney?
- The Yawatahama City Furusato Tourism Corporation gives 23 metres. The national register entry records no height, so this figure rests on the city tourism body rather than on the primary record.
- When was Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney built and registered?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs database records the building year as 1928. It was entered on the national register of Tangible Cultural Properties on 2 March 2004 under number 38-0056.
- What does a kamaba do, and why does Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney have a raised roof?
- A kamaba boils the water used to steam rice for brewing. The monitor roof along the ridge carries openings in its sides that let the steam and heat escape, which is why the building has that raised section.
- Can I visit Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney, and what does it cost?
- Yes, with a booking made by the previous day. A standard visit is listed as free, a paid tour with a souvenir at 3,000 yen, and the guided brewery experience at 2,640 yen per person. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Sunday.
- How do I get to Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney?
- About 5 minutes by car from Yawatahama Port, 1.3 km, or 7 minutes from JR Yawatahama Station, 2.1 km. Two bus stops, Shiritsu Byoin-mae and Saibansho-mae, are 2 minutes away on foot, and 26 free parking spaces are available.
Basic Information
| Name | Umebijin Sake Brewery Boiler Room and Chimney |
|---|---|
| Location | 1557-2 Yawatahama City, Ehime Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered on 2 March 2004 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 157 square metres; single-storey timber structure |
| Owner | Umebijin Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Privately owned and in operation. Visits by prior reservation; the chimney is visible from public streets |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Umebijin Shuzo Kamaba oyobi Entotsu
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00004055
- Yawatahama City: Cultural Properties (list of nationally registered tangible cultural properties)
- https://www.city.yawatahama.ehime.jp/doc/2022103100010/
- Yawatahama City Tourism and Products Information Site: Sake Brewery Experience at Umebijin Shuzo
- https://yawatahama-kankou.com/umebijin-sakagura/
- Ehime Prefecture Official Tourism Site (Iyokan Net): Umebijin Shuzo
- https://www.iyokannet.jp/spot/1922
Last verified: 2026.09.04