A Shelter Over the Dye-Works Well
The Goto Textile Well House (後藤織物井戸屋形, Gotō Orimono Idoyakata) is a small timber shelter built around 1933 in Higashi 1-chome, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, over the well that supplied water for dyeing, and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 27, 2006. It stands west of the rear extension of the Main House and north of the 10-mat room of the Inner Room wing, its ridge running north to south.
It measures 3.2 metres by 2.6 metres, an area of 8.5 square metres, under a gabled sheet-iron roof. The posts lean slightly inward (Uchikorobi), and corrugated iron encloses the north, west and south sides. Near the centre is a well lined with river stones.
Kiryu City's survey gives the well a diameter of 1.4 metres, with walls built of river cobbles about the size of a human head. Its depth has not been measured, and it is now sealed with a concrete lid.
Why It Was Registered
The Well House was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape of the nation. As architecture it is a plain shed of 8.5 square metres, yet nothing on the site shows more directly that dyeing ran on large quantities of water.
Kiryu opened its public waterworks in 1932, and mains reached this district. The mill kept using its well anyway: dyeing needs so much water, Kiryu City explains, that well water was the practical source. The Water Tower to the northwest went up around 1933 as well, so drawing water here and lifting it into a tank there became a single system at the same moment.
The well itself is older. Kiryu City notes that the 1900 house plan already marks a well in the same spot. The shelter of around 1933 can be read as a new cover for a Meiji-era water source, put up as the factory modernised.
What to Look For
Look at the posts. They are set with a slight inward lean, which steadies the small roof and gives the Goto Textile Well House a tight, compact outline.
The corrugated iron walls are period details too. Rather than boards, the shelter was quickly clad in ribbed iron sheeting, a sensible choice for a wet spot. The open east side faces the Main House, the way in.
Under the roof, the well is a ring of head-sized river stones. It is sealed now, but the circle, 1.4 metres across, is easy to make out. Note, too, where it sits: directly behind the rooms where the family entertained guests.
Visiting
The Goto Textile Well House lies between the Main House and the Factory, north of the Inner Room. On a reserved tour, walk round behind the Main House to find it. The well is covered, so do not stand on or shift the lid. Ask about photography when you book.
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 Well House
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Q&A
- What is the Goto Textile Well House?
- A small shelter over the well that supplied water for dyeing. Together with the Water Tower to the northwest, it formed the mill's dye-water system.
- When was the Goto Textile Well House built?
- Around 1933. The well itself is older and already appears in the same position on a house plan from 1900.
- How big is the well at the Goto Textile Well House?
- It is 1.4 metres across, lined with river cobbles about the size of a human head. Its depth has not been measured, and it is sealed with a concrete lid.
- Why did Goto Textile Mill use a well when Kiryu had piped water?
- Kiryu opened its waterworks in 1932, but dyeing needed so much water that the mill relied on its own well.
- Why do the posts of the Goto Textile Well House lean inward?
- They are deliberately set with an inward lean, known as uchikorobi, which steadies the small roof and gives the shelter a compact outline.
Basic Information
| Name | Goto Textile Well House (後藤織物井戸屋形) |
|---|---|
| Location | 730 Higashi 1-chome, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), registration no. 10-0165 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/3/27 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, sheet-iron roof, area 8.5 square metres (3.2 metres by 2.6 metres) |
| Owner | Texte Kiryu Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Open by advance reservation (weekdays) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: 後藤織物井戸屋形 (Goto Textile Well House)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00005416
- Goto Orimono (Kiryu City official website, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/bunkazai/1010700/kunitouroku/1007533.html
- Goto Orimono: Gate, Main House, Inner Room, Well House, Water Tower (Kiryu City, PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/_res/projects/default_project/_page_/001/007/533/01goto-pdf.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.24
