A Weaving Shed Rebuilt After the War
The Goto Textile Factory (後藤織物工場, Gotō Orimono Kōjō) is a single-storey timber weaving shed built in 1948 in Higashi 1-chome, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, extended in 1949 and 1950, and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 27, 2006. It runs east to west behind the Main House and Inner Room, covers 720 square metres, carries both tiled and sheet-iron roofs, and has a lavatory attached.
It was built in two stages. Nearest the house is a gable-roofed block of 9 by 3 Ken; to its north is a sawtooth-roofed shed of 13 by 3 ken. The walls are clad in clapboard held by battens, and the roofs are carried on king-post trusses.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the sawtooth section as two linked spans. Kiryu City's survey instead says that after the southern gable block, three sawtooth sheds were added one after another. The two probably count differently; both are given here.
Why It Was Registered
The factory was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape of the nation, and the national record calls it one of the buildings that show the postwar recovery of Kiryu's weaving trade.
That postwar date is the point. In 1944, under wartime industrial controls, Goto's factory, kettle house and dormitory were handed over to Nippon Kikai Co., and papers show that even the lavatory went. The Goto Textile Factory is what a weaving house built for itself soon after losing its looms.
The sequence of construction is documented. Kiryu City reports a 1949 specification for a factory extension, complete with an estimate, floor plan and roof framing plan. Because the paperwork speaks of adding to the factory, the gable-roofed block next to the house must already have been standing. Weaving restarted in that one block, and sawtooth sheds were added as orders grew. The whole history sits inside one building.
Sawtooth sheds were not new here. The 1900 house plan already shows two long parallel buildings on this site, which Kiryu City reads as weaving sheds. After the war the mill rebuilt the same kind of factory in the same place.
What to Look For
A sawtooth roof lines up ridges like the teeth of a saw, with windows set in the steep faces. Turned away from direct sun, that glass lets in even light all day, exactly what a weaver needs to judge colour and spot flaws, which is why the form spread through textile mills. Inside the Goto Textile Factory, the high windows are arranged to spill that steady light over the looms.
As you walk through, look for the joins. Kiryu City notes that because the sheds were added one by one, pairs of columns stand side by side along each seam, leaving corridor-like strips. A factory designed in one go would not have them; here they mark each stage of growth.
From outside, compare the gable block at the south with the sawtooth ridges behind. Both keep the same 3-ken span, the gable block bridging it with king-post trusses. The mix of tile and sheet iron on the roofs is another clue to buildings of different dates.
The Water Tower stands against the factory's southwest corner. It stored water for dyeing, and its pump is said to have been belt-driven by pulley from the factory motor. The weaving shed was also the power plant of the whole compound.
Visiting
The Factory is the centrepiece of any reserved tour of Goto Textile Mill. Ask when booking how much of the loom floor and equipment you will see and whether photography is allowed; what is shown may depend on the day's activity.
Directions, booking and opening details for the whole mill are on the Goto Textile Mill page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gunma
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Goto Textile Factory
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Q&A
- When was the Goto Textile Factory built?
- According to the national record, in 1948, with extensions in 1949 and 1950.
- How many sawtooth roofs does the Goto Textile Factory have?
- The national record describes two linked sawtooth spans; Kiryu City says three sawtooth sheds were added in turn after the first gable-roofed block. The sources differ.
- Why is the Goto Textile Factory a postwar building?
- In 1944 wartime industrial controls forced the transfer of the factory, kettle house and dormitory to Nippon Kikai Co. The factory was rebuilt after the war.
- How large is the Goto Textile Factory?
- Its building area is 720 square metres. The gable-roofed block is 9 by 3 ken and the sawtooth section 13 by 3 ken.
- Can I go inside the Goto Textile Factory?
- Yes, on a reserved tour of Goto Textile Mill. Check what equipment is shown and whether photography is permitted when you book.
Basic Information
| Name | Goto Textile Factory (後藤織物工場) |
|---|---|
| Location | 730 Higashi 1-chome, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), registration no. 10-0161 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/3/27 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled and sheet-iron roofs, building area 720 square metres, with attached lavatory |
| Owner | Texte Kiryu Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Open by advance reservation (weekdays) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: 後藤織物工場 (Goto Textile Factory)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00005412
- Goto Orimono (Kiryu City official website, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/bunkazai/1010700/kunitouroku/1007533.html
- Goto Orimono: Factory, Former Kettle House, Storage Shed, Exhibition Room, East and West Storehouses (Kiryu City, PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/_res/projects/default_project/_page_/001/007/533/02-gotopdf.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.24
