Umeda Family Residence Storehouse

The Storehouse behind Myogaya

The Umeda Family Residence Storehouse (梅田家住宅土蔵) is a storehouse of 1932 in Unuma Nishimachi, Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture, on the old Nakasendo highway, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 27, 2006 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It stands at the back of the house of the Umeda family, who ran a hatago, a lodging house for highway travellers, under the trade name Myogaya (茗荷屋, Myōgaya).

The Agency records a 2-storey storehouse of earth-walled construction with a tile roof and a building area of 71 square metres; registration number 21-0084.

At the Back Corner of the Lot

The Umeda Family Residence Storehouse stands at the southeast corner of the long, narrow Umeda lot and faces north (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It is a 2-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse, 6 ken by 3 ken, entered from the long side, with deep eaves projecting on the north.

The base is built of large stones laid in a tortoise-shell pattern (Kikkōzumi). On the east, west and south the lower walls are clad in clapboard held by notched battens (Shitami-itabari), while the lower north wall is jointed mortar with a washed finish (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Kakamigahara City describes the north wall as plaster scored to imitate stone and notes that the boarding on the other 3 sides is painted black.

The city adds that the plaster is carried right up into the verges and eaves, that the entrance on the north is trowel-moulded and outlined in black plaster, and that the roof frame uses sloping beams tied firmly into the ridge and wall plates.

Why It Was Registered

The Agency notes that the Umeda Family Residence Storehouse, set at a corner of the lot, completes the layout of the house, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Umeda Family Residence Storehouse was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2006.

Kakamigahara City named it a Landscape Important Building in 2008, noting how the black-painted boarding on 3 sides gives the storehouse its weighty presence.

What to Look For

On the Umeda Family Residence Storehouse, look at how the lower walls change from face to face: jointed, washed mortar on the north side toward the courtyard, battened boarding on the other 3, all resting on the tortoise-shell stone base.

Visiting

The Umeda Family Residence Storehouse stands behind the main house and annex, at the southeast corner of the lot, and its interior is private (Kakamigahara City). How much of it can be seen from the old Nakasendo has not been confirmed.