What Is the Suzuzen Kurazashiki?
The Suzuzen Kurazashiki (鈴善蔵座敷, storehouse parlor) is a two-story earthen storehouse built in 1929 against the west side of the shop on the premises of the Suzuzen lacquerware wholesaler in Chuo 1-chome, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2021.
Built in Dozo-zukuri style, the Suzuzen Kurazashiki has its ridge running north to south under a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles. At 147 square meters it is the largest of the seven registered Suzuzen buildings, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it the core of the whole layout.
Workroom and Parlor in One Storehouse
On the ground floor, the northern half of the Suzuzen Kurazashiki was a workroom and the southern half a pair of connecting tatami rooms (Zashiki). The upper floor was used for storage, and two doorways open on the east side. Work, hospitality and storage were all fitted into one fire-resistant building, split front to back and top to bottom.
A parlor set inside a thick-walled storehouse, a Zashiki-gura, was a common choice for merchant families who wanted rooms and valuables protected from fire. Here the half nearest the street went to work and the quieter half at the back to the guest rooms.
The east wall meets the Nakazashiki. Through the Nakazashiki's corridor and rooms, the shop, the Nakazashiki and the Suzuzen Kurazashiki were all connected, with the storehouse parlor holding the western end.
Scratch Tiles and Red Roof Tiles
The walls are white Shikkui plaster carried up over the eaves in a thick Hachimaki band. On the street side, the base of the wall is faced with scratch tiles, tiles scored with fine grooves that were fashionable in early Showa buildings. Next to the shop's washed artificial stone, they show the same taste for Western finishes reaching down to the storehouse's footing.
The roof is covered in red tiles made locally. Aizuwakamatsu City singles out the red tiles and white walls of the Suzuzen buildings, and this storehouse presents that combination on its largest surface.
Visiting the Suzuzen Kurazashiki
The Suzuzen Kurazashiki stands just west of the shop, with its tiled north gable end facing the street. The red roof and the plaster band beneath the eaves can be seen from the road.
The premises are open as the Aizu-nuri Densho-kan Suzuzen, and the website says the former living quarters now serve as exhibition spaces. It does not say which building houses which space, so whether the tatami rooms or workroom of the Suzuzen Kurazashiki can be entered could not be confirmed (checked October 2026). Opening times and directions are on the Suzuzen page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Suzuzen Kurazashiki (Storehouse Parlor)
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Q&A
- When was the Suzuzen Kurazashiki built?
- It was built in 1929 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2021.
- What is inside the Suzuzen Kurazashiki?
- The ground floor has a workroom to the north and two connecting tatami rooms to the south. The upper floor was storage. There are two doorways on the east side.
- What are the scratch tiles on the Suzuzen Kurazashiki?
- They are grooved facing tiles on the base of the street-side wall, a finish popular in the early Showa period. Above them the walls are white plaster under a red tile roof.
- Why is the Suzuzen Kurazashiki considered important within the Suzuzen premises?
- At 147 square meters it is the largest of the seven registered buildings, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as the core of the layout.
- Can visitors see the Suzuzen Kurazashiki?
- The north gable and the red roof are visible from the street. The premises are open as a museum, but whether the interior can be entered is not stated on the official website.
Basic Information
| Name | Suzuzen Kurazashiki (Storehouse Parlor) (鈴善蔵座敷) |
|---|---|
| Location | 138 Chuo 1-chome and other lots, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 147 m² |
| Owner | Not listed (the owner field in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database is blank) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street; the premises are open as the Aizu-nuri Densho-kan Suzuzen |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Suzuzen Kurazashiki
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013924
- Cultural Heritage Online: Suzuzen Kurazashiki
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/520074
- Aizuwakamatsu City: Designated Historic Landscape Buildings
- https://www.city.aizuwakamatsu.fukushima.jp/docs/2009020200238/
- Aizu-nuri Densho-kan Suzuzen: Facilities
- https://suzuzen.com/facility/
Last verified: 2026.10.02
