A rice store with two different ends
The Former Kurauchi Family Residence Rice Storehouse (旧蔵内家住宅米倉, Kyū-Kurauchi-ke Jūtaku Komegura) in Kamifukano, Chikujo-machi, Fukuoka Prefecture, is an early Showa-era two-storey storehouse south of the Kurauchi family's Main House, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 14, 2002.
It held the household's rice. A canopy on the side facing the Main House once sheltered a covered corridor linking the two. The building is long and narrow, running east to west, and covers 88 square metres.
The Sangawara-buki tile roof ends differently at each end: a kabuto-style gable on the east, its top clipped like the brim of a helmet as on many farmhouses, and a plain Kirizuma-zukuri gable on the west.
Why it was registered
The Rice Storehouse was registered as number 40-0027 for its contribution to the historic landscape. The south wall facing the road is finished in Shikkui lime plaster above vertical boarding, while the east gable is clad in Shitami-itabari overlapping weatherboards; the national record notes the strong presence this gives it.
The Rice Storehouse and the neighboring Storehouse are the two Showa-era buildings among the 12, added after the main Taisho work to finish the southern edge of the property. Together with the Meiji Main House they show the estate being worked on over several decades.
The building's purpose is a reminder that, coal fortune or not, the Kurauchi remained landowners who stored rice here in their home village.
What to look for
Start on the road to the south. The white plaster above a band of vertical boards gives the wall a tidy face toward passers-by.
Then walk round to the east and compare the ends: helmet-style roof and weatherboarding on the east, a straight gable on the west. This is where the difference in roof form reads most clearly.
Look for the canopy on the Main House side and where the corridor once joined, evidence of how closely the rice store was tied to daily life in the house. The Storehouse meets it on the west, so the two buildings frame the south edge of the estate in one continuous line.
Visiting the Rice Storehouse
The exterior of the Former Kurauchi Family Residence Rice Storehouse can be seen from within the Kyu-Kurauchi-tei grounds and from the road to the south. The town does not say whether the interior is open, so ask at the desk.
Check photography rules at the desk. 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 Rice Storehouse
- [ Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine & Hakata Food Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Former Kurauchi Family Residence Rice Storehouse built?
- It dates from the early Showa era.
- What was the Kurauchi Rice Storehouse used for?
- Storing rice. A covered corridor once connected it to the Main House.
- What is unusual about the roof of the Kurauchi Rice Storehouse?
- The east end has a helmet-style kabuto gable and the west end a plain gable.
- Where can I see the Kurauchi Rice Storehouse?
- From within the Kyu-Kurauchi-tei grounds and from the road to the south. Ask at the desk about the interior.
- What protection does the Kurauchi Rice Storehouse have?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) on February 14, 2002.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kurauchi Family Residence Rice 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 88 square metres |
| 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 from the Kyu-Kurauchi-tei grounds and the road to the south; check on site whether the interior is open (closed Wednesdays) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database: Former Kurauchi Family Residence Rice Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002708
Last verified: 2026.09.26
