What is the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse?
The Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse (杉原商店東土蔵, Sugihara Shōten Higashi Dozō) is a 1921 storehouse of the Sugihara Shoten washi wholesaler in Oizu-cho, Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 27, 2023.
It stands east of the main house, facing west, and was built to hold finished paper products. A two-story Dozo-zukuri building with a building area of 112 square meters, the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse was renovated around 1975.
How the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse is built
The gabled tile roof has its entrance on the long side (Hirairi). A single doorway opens on the west face under a lean-to roof. The walls are plastered in Shikkui, but the board skirting (Shitami-itabari) is carried up as high as the waist of the upper floor.
Both floors are single boarded rooms, each with a freestanding central post, and a stair rises in the northwest corner. One doorway and wooden floors throughout suggest a store designed to keep paper dry.
Why the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse was registered
The Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic townscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs sees it as one of the buildings that define the northeast corner of the property.
Fukui Prefecture notes that it stands on the street and, together with the office next door, gives Sugihara Shoten its frontage. The older West Storehouse sits deeper in the compound; the East Storehouse is part of the face the house shows to passers-by.
Seeing the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse
No interior opening of the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse is announced, but the exterior can be seen from the street. Look at how high the boarding runs: it climbs to the upper floor, leaving only a band of white plaster under the eaves. Compare it with the West Storehouse on the other side of the main house and the difference in cladding is plain.
The West Storehouse gallery, Washiya, is the only building open by reservation. The East Storehouse is still in use, so enjoy it from outside.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse built?
- It was built in 1921 and renovated around 1975.
- Can I go inside the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse?
- No interior opening is announced. You can see the exterior from the street.
- Why is the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on February 27, 2023, for its contribution to the historic townscape, as part of the street frontage of the compound.
- How does the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse differ from the West Storehouse?
- The East Storehouse covers 112 square meters, has wooden floors on both levels and one doorway. The West Storehouse covers 145 square meters, has an earth floor below and two doorways, and is now a gallery.
- What was kept in the Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse?
- The national database describes it as a store for finished washi products.
Basic Information
| Name | Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-1 Higashimachi, 17 Oizu-cho, Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | Registered February 27, 2023 (Reiwa 5) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-story plastered storehouse, building area 112 m² |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | No interior opening announced; exterior visible from the street |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014478
- Fukui Prefecture Cultural Properties: Sugihara Shoten East Storehouse
- https://bunkazai.pref.fukui.lg.jp/search_category/content?detail_id=950-0
Last verified: 2026.10.01
