About the Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse
The Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse (若菜家住宅煉瓦三階蔵, Wakana-ke Jūtaku Renga Sangaigura) is a three-story brick storehouse built in 1916 at the Wakana Family Residence in Iwatsuki-machi, Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on September 10, 2010.
Its footprint is small, 5.7 by 4.8 meters or 31 square meters, yet it is the only one of the four Wakana storehouses to reach three stories. It stands just south of the zashiki storehouse, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a symbol of an area where brick storehouses cluster.
Stone Arches and an East Porch
The three-story storehouse has a gabled roof of interlocking tiles with its ridge running east to west. The walls are English bond on a cut-stone base, with pilasters at the corners, the same approach as the zashiki storehouse next door; the differences are in the details.
On the south wall, the second and third floors have arched windows made of stone. Because only the arches are stone, set into the brick, the two upper levels read clearly when you look up from the south. A porch is attached to the east gable end, giving a storehouse something like a front door.
42,500 Bricks, Three Floors
According to local tourism information, the Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse used 42,500 bricks and held farm tools and similar equipment. The same sources describe three stories as rare for a storehouse of its day.
Stacked three high on its narrow plan, it rises well above the one-story zashiki and miso storehouses beside it and is the first of the Wakana buildings to catch the eye.
Visiting the Three-Story Brick Storehouse
The Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse can be seen from outside as part of a visit to the Wakana storehouses (200 yen for adults, free for students). No interior opening was found in the information checked.
The stone arched windows face south and the porch faces east, so the southeast side gives the best view of both. A local information site recommends framing the miso storehouse on the left with the three-story storehouse straight ahead. No photography policy is published, so check when you arrive.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukushima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse
- [ Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle & Ouchi-juku Village Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse built?
- It was built in 1916 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on September 10, 2010.
- How big is the Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse?
- It is a three-story brick building measuring 5.7 by 4.8 meters, with a building area of 31 square meters.
- How many bricks are in the Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse?
- Local tourism information puts the figure at 42,500. The building was used to store farm tools.
- Can you go inside the Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse?
- No interior opening is advertised. It can be seen from outside on a visit to the Wakana storehouses (200 yen for adults, free for students); look for the stone arched windows on the south face and the porch on the east.
- Why is the Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a symbolic building in an area where brick storehouses are concentrated.
Basic Information
| Name | Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 3819 Katsukosaku, Miyazu, Iwatsuki-machi, Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered September 10, 2010 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 5.7 meters by 4.8 meters, building area 31 square meters |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable only (adults 200 yen, students free) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008256
- Cultural Heritage Online: Wakana Family Residence Three-Story Brick Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/168678
- List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures) in Fukushima Prefecture (Fukushima Prefecture, PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/748318.pdf
- Gurutto Aizu: Mitsuya Brick Storehouses (Wakana Family) (Japanese)
- https://www.gurutto-aizu.com/detail/526/index.html
- Fukulabo: Mitsuya Brick Storehouses (Wakana Family) (Japanese)
- https://www.fukulabo.net/shop/shop.shtml?s=9696
Last verified: 2026.10.04
