The long storehouse
The Former Kurauchi Family Residence Treasure Storehouse (旧蔵内家住宅宝蔵, Kyū-Kurauchi-ke Jūtaku Hōzō) in Kamifukano, Chikujo-machi, Fukuoka Prefecture, is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse at the center of the estate's west side, dated to around 1887 in the national record and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 14, 2002.
It stands behind the Zashiki Wing and the Kitchen Wing. At 10 bays long it is the most elongated building on the property, a narrow north-south block under a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki tiles, covering 116 square metres. Inside, two staircases rise at the north and south ends.
The walls are carefully finished in Shikkui lime plaster and pierced by many small windows, each under its own little hood.
Why it was registered
The Treasure Storehouse was registered as number 40-0026 as something that would be hard to reproduce, the only one of the 12 buildings entered under that criterion. The national record praises the quality of its plasterwork and the distinctive rows of hooded windows.
Its date is disputed. The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives around 1887, but Chikujo Town says the enlargement that began with the founding of Kurauchi Mining in 1916 started with the treasure storehouse. On the town's account it would be the first building of the Taisho work; on the Agency's it belongs with the Main House to the Meiji layer. Both are recorded here.
Either way, a ten-bay storehouse at the back of the house tells you how much a coal magnate's household had to keep.
What to look for
Count the windows. Each has a small hood that throws a neat shadow on the white plaster, and the rhythm they set up along the long wall keeps it from looking blank.
Because the building is so narrow and long, find a spot where you can see it end to end to appreciate its length. The gables face north and south, and one continuous ridge spans all 10 bays.
From the garden side you glimpse its white walls above the roofs of the Zashiki Wing and Kitchen Wing, the plain storehouse at the back balancing the showier rooms in front.
Visiting the Treasure Storehouse
The exterior of the Former Kurauchi Family Residence Treasure Storehouse can be seen within the Kyu-Kurauchi-tei grounds. The town's information does not say whether the interior is open, and it may be used for exhibitions, so ask at the desk.
Check photography rules at the desk as well. Hours, fees and directions are on the Former Kurauchi Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukuoka
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Kurauchi Family Residence Treasure Storehouse
- [ Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine & Hakata Food Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Former Kurauchi Family Residence Treasure Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs says around 1887, but Chikujo Town says the 1916 enlargement began with this storehouse. The sources disagree.
- How big is the Kurauchi Treasure Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey storehouse 10 bays long, covering 116 square metres, with staircases at both ends.
- What does the Kurauchi Treasure Storehouse look like?
- Carefully finished white lime-plaster walls lined with many small hooded windows, under a long gabled tile roof.
- Can you go inside the Kurauchi Treasure Storehouse?
- It is not stated whether the interior is open, so ask at the desk. The exterior can be seen from the grounds.
- Why was the Kurauchi Treasure Storehouse registered?
- It was registered on February 14, 2002, as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property that would be hard to reproduce.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kurauchi Family Residence Treasure Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 396 Kamifukano, Chikujo-machi, Chikujo-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2002/2/14 (Heisei 14) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 116 square metres (plastered storehouse, 10 bays long) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (opened to the public by Chikujo Town as Kyu-Kurauchi-tei) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible within the Kyu-Kurauchi-tei grounds; check on site whether the interior is open (closed Wednesdays) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database: Former Kurauchi Family Residence Treasure Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002707
- Facilities: Kyu-Kurauchi-tei (Chikujo History Walk)
- https://www.chikujo-rekishi.jp/guide/kyukurauchitei/k002.html
- History of the Kurauchi family (Chikujo History Walk)
- https://www.chikujo-rekishi.jp/guide/kyukurauchitei/k003.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
