Gabled Ends, a Sawtooth Middle
The Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed (森秀織物旧整経場, Morihide Orimono Kyū Seikeijō) is a single-story timber warping shed from around 1924, adjoining the south side of the Former Factory on the west side of the Morihide Textiles site in Higashi, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 3, 2006.
Warping is the preparation of the warp: setting out the lengthwise threads to the right number and length and winding them ready for the loom. For a fine silk like omeshi, with thousands of threads, the quality of the warping showed in the finished cloth.
The national record gives 16.0 meters by 8.5 meters and a building area of 135 square meters. It is registration number 10-0180 and now serves as the exhibition hall of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum.
Why the Former Warping Shed Was Registered
The Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed was registered under the criterion for buildings that contribute to the historic landscape of the country. Its roof is unusual: the east and west ends are gabled, while the middle takes the form of a sawtooth roof. Kiryu City explains that the whole roof is a single sawtooth bay, with gabled shapes showing at the two ends.
Kiryu City believes it was built together with the Former Kamaba next door, since the two share much in their walls and roof tiles. Both use the same king-post roof frame.
What to Look For
Compare the walls. The east wall is clad in vertical boards and the west wall in horizontal boards, a different finish for each face.
The detail not to miss is on the gable ends, where the bottoms of the vertical boards are cut in a sawtooth edge. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles this out as a deliberate decorative touch, a small flourish on a working building and the best thing to look for on the outside of the Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed.
Visiting the Former Warping Shed
The Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed is open as the museum's exhibition hall, and museum admission lets you go inside. It runs straight on into the Former Factory to the north and the Former Kamaba to the south, so walking through the museum from end to end shows how the three buildings connect. Hours and admission are on the Morihide Textiles page; ask at reception about photography.
Q&A
- When was the Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed built and registered?
- It was built around 1924 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 3, 2006, under registration number 10-0180.
- What is warping, the work done in the Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed?
- It is the step of setting out warp threads to the right number and length and winding them ready for the loom.
- What shape is the roof of the Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed?
- It is a tiled roof with gabled east and west ends and a sawtooth form in the middle.
- What details should I look for on the Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed walls?
- The east wall has vertical boards and the west wall horizontal boards, and the vertical boards on the gable ends are cut with a sawtooth edge at the bottom.
- Can I go inside the Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed?
- Yes. It is the exhibition hall of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum and can be visited with admission.
Basic Information
| Name | Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed (森秀織物旧整経場) |
|---|---|
| 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 135 m², 16.0 m × 8.5 m |
| Owner | Morihide Orimono Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Open as the exhibition hall of the Orimono Sankokan Yukari museum (admission charged) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Morihide Textiles Former Warping Shed
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005574
- 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
