An Earthen Storehouse Set on a Concrete Floor
Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse (奥の松酒造一級蔵, Okunomatsu Shuzō Ikkyū-gura) is a 3-storey brewing storehouse at the Okunomatsu brewery site in Kamegai, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, built in the early Showa period and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 23, 2004. A single reinforced concrete floor carries a 2-storey earthen storehouse, giving a building area of 207 square meters.
It is the largest and tallest of the six registered buildings on the site, a long block with its ridge running north to south, 11 Ken by 4 ken. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the ground floor is said to have been the shipping area.
A Beamless Slab Below, Dozo-zukuri Above
The ground floor of the Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse is reinforced concrete in flat-slab construction: the floor slab above rests directly on the columns, with no beams projecting below the ceiling. On top of it sits a 2-storey storehouse in earthen Dozo-zukuri, where the brewing was done. Modern structure below, traditional storehouse above, stacked in a single building.
The roof is clad in interlocking pantiles and is hipped at one end and gabled at the other. Inside is a timber king post truss, and the registration text for the North Building of the Second-Grade Storehouse describes its own roof frame by reference to this one.
Why the First-Grade Storehouse Was Registered
The Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, registration number 07-0071, for contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency points to its tall 3-storey profile, which makes it a landmark along the prefectural road.
The pairing of two very different structural systems is the other thing to notice. An early Showa brewery took up reinforced concrete for the lowest floor, yet kept its brewing floors as a conventional earthen store.
Seeing the Okunomatsu First-Grade Storehouse
Because it stands on the prefectural road, the Okunomatsu First-Grade Storehouse is the easiest of the six buildings to pick out from the street. Stand back far enough to take in all three storeys and look for where the concrete floor gives way to the earthen walls above. Moving along the road also shows how only one end of the roof is hipped.
No interior openings have been announced (checked September 30, 2026). The site is private, so the building is seen from the road.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse built?
- The national database dates it to the early Showa period. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 23, 2004.
- How many storeys does the Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse have?
- Three: a reinforced concrete ground floor with a 2-storey earthen storehouse on top. The building area is 207 square meters.
- What was the ground floor of the Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse used for?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs records that it is said to have been the shipping area. The two floors above were for brewing.
- What kind of roof does the Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse have?
- A pantiled roof hipped at one end and gabled at the other, framed with a timber king post truss.
- Can I visit the Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse?
- No interior openings have been announced. It stands on the prefectural road, so the exterior can be seen from there.
Basic Information
| Name | Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse (奥の松酒造一級蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-213 Kamegai, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration no. 07-0071 |
| Year Designated | Registered July 23, 2004 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Dozo-zukuri and reinforced concrete, 3 storeys, tiled roof, building area 207 square meters |
| Owner | Not listed in the national database (the brewer is Okunomatsu Sake Brewery) |
| Public Access | No interior opening announced (exterior from the prefectural road) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004195
- Cultural Heritage Online: Okunomatsu Sake Brewery First-Grade Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/150805
Last verified: 2026.09.30
