What Is the Taketo Zashikigura?
The Taketo Zashikigura (竹藤座敷蔵, Taketō Zashikigura, "parlor storehouse") is a two-story earthen storehouse (Dozo-zukuri) built in 1823 in the northeast of Taketo, a bamboo wholesaler's premises in Chuo 1-chome, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, with a tatami parlor inside, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2019.
The Taketo Zashikigura covers 46 square meters. It was renovated in 1983 and again around 1985, and its roof is now metal sheet. It was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country.
Older Than the Family's Arrival
According to Taketo's chronology, the Taketo Zashikigura was already standing when the Suzuki family bought the land and house on Ichinomachi and moved in after a fire in Tenpo 5. Among the Taketo buildings that the Agency for Cultural Affairs records without any relocation, it is the oldest.
About five years after the move, in 1841, another fire forced the rebuilding of the shop and the house. The chronology notes that the storehouse got away with damage to its roof only.
Anteroom, Second Room and Parlor
The Taketo Zashikigura has its ridge running north to south and walls finished in Shikkui plaster. The doorway is in the south gable end, closed by a pair of plastered doors. On the ground floor, three rooms run back from the south: an anteroom, a second room (tsugi no ma) and the parlor (zashiki). The upper floor stores household goods.
A post stands in the middle of the line between the parlor and the second room to carry the upper-floor beam. The ceiling is low, with the joists left exposed, and the alcove and shelves are shallow. The Agency cites these features in calling it an old-fashioned Zashiki-gura. Setting a guest parlor inside thick earthen walls is regarded as a way to protect both the room and the family's possessions from fire.
Visiting the Taketo Zashikigura
The Taketo Zashikigura stands in the northeast of the lot, its plastered double doors facing south. Taketo's website gives no information about opening the storehouse interior, so whether you can go inside could not be confirmed (checked October 2026).
Ask at the shop whether the storehouse can be seen when you visit. Opening hours and directions are on the Taketo page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukushima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Taketo Zashikigura (Parlor Storehouse)
- [ Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle & Ouchi-juku Village Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Taketo Zashikigura built?
- It was built in 1823 and renovated in 1983 and around 1985. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2019.
- What is inside the Taketo Zashikigura?
- On the ground floor, an anteroom, a second room and a parlor run back from the south. The upper floor is used to store household goods.
- Why is the Taketo Zashikigura called old-fashioned?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs points to the post in the middle of the parlor partition carrying the upper beam, the low exposed-joist ceiling and the shallow alcove and shelves.
- Did the Suzuki family of Taketo build the Taketo Zashikigura?
- According to Taketo's chronology, the storehouse was already standing when the family moved onto the plot.
- Can I go inside the Taketo Zashikigura?
- The website gives no information about opening the interior, so this could not be confirmed (checked October 2026). Ask at the shop when you visit.
Basic Information
| Name | Taketo Zashikigura (Parlor Storehouse) (竹藤座敷蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 69 Chuo 1-chome, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 46 m² |
| Owner | Not listed (the owner field in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database is blank) |
| Public Access | No information on opening the interior (checked 2026) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Taketo Zashikigura
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013030
- Taketo / Taketo Chaya: History of Taketo (Japanese)
- https://www.taketou.net/pages/2608880/page_201902151049
Last verified: 2026.10.07
