What Is the Taketo Takegura?
The Taketo Takegura (竹藤竹蔵, Taketō Takegura, "bamboo storehouse") is a two-story earthen storehouse (Dozo-zukuri) in the northwest of Taketo, a bamboo wholesaler's premises in Chuo 1-chome, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture; built in 1785 and moved here in 1862, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2019.
At 77 square meters, the Taketo Takegura is the larger of Taketo's two storehouses. Its roof is now metal sheet, and it was renovated around 1985. It was registered as a building that serves as a model of its type.
A Storehouse for Bamboo
The Taketo Takegura is 7 ken long (Ketayuki) with its ridge running north to south, and the interior keeps a bare earth floor. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as both a merchandise store and a workshop.
According to Taketo's chronology, the Taketo Takegura was first built elsewhere in 1785 and was moved to its present spot in 1862 to store bamboo. The shop explains that bamboo from the wholesaler went in great quantity into the hoops that bound sake casks in Aizu, and describes the building as a large storehouse resembling a sake or rice store, a kind few of which survive in the city.
The Igeta Mark and the Sloping Rafters
The outer walls of the Taketo Takegura are plastered over entirely, including the lean-to (Geya) in front of the doorway (Kuramae). High on the south gable, the shop's igeta mark, a hash-shaped well-curb sign, is modeled in relief in plaster. The upper-floor windows have hinged iron shutters that open in pairs.
Inside, the roof frame (Roof frame) has a sloping beam, a noboribari, set at every 1 ken, each rising from the eaves toward the ridge, and the underside of the roof boards above is finished with Shikkui plaster applied from below. The Agency calls it a storehouse of heavy, solid construction.
Visiting the Taketo Takegura
The Taketo Takegura stands in the northwest of the lot, behind the Taketo Main House. Taketo's website gives no information about opening the storehouse interior, so whether you can go inside could not be confirmed (checked October 2026). In its restoration notes, the shop says that work remains to be done on the store and the storehouses even after the main house was restored.
Ask at the shop whether the storehouse can be seen, including the igeta mark on its south gable. Opening hours and directions are on the Taketo page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukushima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Taketo Takegura (Bamboo Storehouse)
- [ Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle & Ouchi-juku Village Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Taketo Takegura built?
- It was built elsewhere in 1785 and moved to its present site in 1862. It was renovated around 1985 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2019.
- What was the Taketo Takegura used for?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a merchandise store that also served as a workshop. Taketo's chronology says it was moved here to store bamboo.
- What is special about the structure of the Taketo Takegura?
- Sloping beams are set at every 1 ken in the roof frame, and the underside of the roof boards is plastered. The walls are plastered over including the front lean-to, and the upper windows have iron shutters.
- What is the mark on the south gable of the Taketo Takegura?
- It is Taketo's igeta shop mark, shaped like a well curb and modeled in plaster high on the gable.
- Can I go inside the Taketo Takegura?
- 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 Takegura (Bamboo Storehouse) (竹藤竹蔵) |
|---|---|
| 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 77 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 Takegura
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013029
- Taketo / Taketo Chaya: History of Taketo (Japanese)
- https://www.taketou.net/pages/2608880/page_201902151049
- Taketo / Taketo Chaya: Restoration Project (to 2019, Japanese)
- https://www.taketou.net/pages/2608888/page_201902151054
Last verified: 2026.10.07
