A Dormitory Moved on Rollers, Now the Museum Reception
The Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2 (森秀織物旧寄宿舎二, Morihide Orimono Kyū Kishukusha Ni) is a single-story timber dormitory from around 1924 in the northeast corner of the Morihide Textiles site in Higashi, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture; it was moved to its present spot by Hikiya in 1981 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 3, 2006.
The national record gives 6.5 meters by 7.5 meters and a building area of 62 square meters. It has a hip-and-gable irimoya tile roof, joins the Former Twisting Mill on the south, and has lean-tos on its other sides. Today it is the reception and shop of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum, so it is the first building most visitors enter.
It is registration number 10-0176. The Agency for Cultural Affairs values it as one of the few remaining former dormitories.
How the Former Dormitory No. 2 Was Moved and Adapted
Kiryu City explains that the Morihide site once stretched north across today's city road, beside the present car park, with company housing and dormitories along it. When the museum was being prepared in 1981, the south part of a dormitory north of the road was cut away, rolled to this spot and turned to face west. That section is the Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2.
A triangular lean-to was then added to fit the plot, 0.70 meters deep on the north edge and 1.37 meters on the south. A projecting reception booth and the museum gate were attached at the southwest corner, the interior partitions were removed, and the floor was laid in concrete. In 2011 a new door on the north side, doubling as an emergency exit, was added.
It was registered under the criterion for buildings that contribute to the historic landscape of the country. Japan's registration system is meant to keep buildings in use while allowing them to be adapted, and this building is a clear case of that approach.
What to Look For
From outside you can see lean-tos wrapping three sides of the irimoya roof, one of them set at a slant. That skewed lean-to is the mark of the move, where the building was fitted to its new plot.
The Agency notes that the building once had openings on every side but the north; now the only doorway is on the west. From the reception window, look along the path to see how the building lines up with the Former Twisting Mill in the northeast corner.
Visiting the Former Dormitory No. 2
The Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2 serves as the museum reception, so every visitor walks through it on the way in, and the museum shop is inside. Opening hours and admission are covered on the Morihide Textiles page. Ask at the desk about photography.
Q&A
- When was the Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2 built and moved?
- It was built around 1924. In 1981, when the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum was being set up, the south part of a dormitory north of the city road was cut away and moved here on rollers.
- When was the Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2 registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 3, 2006, under registration number 10-0176.
- How is the Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2 used today?
- It is the reception and museum shop of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum.
- What is the triangular lean-to on the Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2?
- It was added after the move to fit the plot, 0.70 meters deep on the north edge and 1.37 meters on the south, so it sits at a slant.
- Can I go inside the Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2?
- Yes. As the museum reception, it is the way in for every visitor. Follow the museum's hours and admission rules.
Basic Information
| Name | Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2 (森秀織物旧寄宿舎二) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4-2-24 Higashi, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2006 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-story timber, tile roof, building area 62 m², 6.5 m × 7.5 m |
| Owner | Morihide Orimono Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Open as the reception and museum shop of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum (admission charged) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Morihide Textiles Former Dormitory No. 2
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005570
- Kiryu City: Morihide Textiles Factory (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/bunkazai/1010700/kunitouroku/1002000.html
- Kiryu City: Morihide Textiles Factory and Orimono Sankokan Yukari, explanatory sheet (Japanese, PDF)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/_res/projects/default_project/_page_/001/002/000/yukari-2.pdf
- Kiryu City: Orimono Sankokan Yukari (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/spot/kiryu/1001866.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
