About the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse
The Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse (添田家住宅醤油蔵, Soeda-ke Jūtaku Shōyugura) is a single-storey clay-walled workroom built in the middle of the Meiji era (1868 to 1912) south of the document storehouse on the Soeda family estate in Hanukita, Kitayama, Ishikawa Town, Fukushima Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2011.
The Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse measures 9.1 m by 5.3 m, with a building area of 49 m², the largest footprint of the three storehouses and the only one with a single storey. It runs east to west, parallel to the document storehouse just to its north.
Walls Left at the Middle Coat
A Japanese clay wall is built up in several coats. On this storehouse the plastering stopped at the intermediate coat, without the final skin of white lime plaster that covers the other two storehouses, so the walls keep an earthy colour. The Hachimaki band under the eaves is kept simple too.
The roof of the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse is a gabled sheet-metal Okiyane, set as a separate structure on the clay body. The door is in the west gable end, and windows open in the south and east walls.
Chestnut Posts and Rough Clay
Inside the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse, chestnut posts stand at even intervals, with walls of arakabe, the first rough coat of clay, left exposed between them. Chestnut resists rot and has long been used in Japan for sills and posts.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls the interior a space with the character of a workroom. The name suggests it was used for making soy sauce, but published sources do not say if the Soeda family brewed only for its own table or also for sale.
Seeing the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse
The Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse is not open to the public, so the chestnut posts and rough walls cannot be seen. As of October 2026 no tours or openings had been announced.
It stands southeast of the main house, just south of the document storehouse. From outside, its sheet-metal roof and unwhitened walls set it apart from the other storehouses. Please do not enter the grounds. Directions to the estate are on the Soeda Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukushima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse
- [ Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle & Ouchi-juku Village Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse built?
- In the middle of the Meiji era (1868 to 1912). It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2011.
- How big is the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse?
- It is a single-storey storehouse of 9.1 m by 5.3 m, with a building area of 49 m², the largest footprint of the three storehouses.
- How do the walls of the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse differ from the other storehouses?
- They stop at the intermediate coat of plaster, with no white finish, and the roof is sheet metal rather than tile.
- What is inside the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse?
- Chestnut posts at even intervals with rough clay walls between them, described by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as a workroom-like space.
- Can I visit the Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse?
- No. It is not open and no tours are announced, so please stay off the property.
Basic Information
| Name | Soeda Family Residence Soy Sauce Storehouse (添田家住宅醤油蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 67 Hanukita, Kitayama, Ishikawa Town, Ishikawa County, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2011 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 9.1 m × 5.3 m; building area 49 m² |
| Owner | Not disclosed |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (no openings announced) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 添田家住宅醤油蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008620
- Cultural Heritage Online: 添田家住宅醤油蔵
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/185621
- Ishikawa Town: List of Cultural Properties
- https://www.town.ishikawa.fukushima.jp/admin/hall/02/01/01/09.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
