About the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse
The Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse (中村弥市商店石蔵, Nakamura Yaichi Shōten Ishigura) is a 1-story stone storehouse of about 1937 along the south edge of the Nakamura family estate in Honcho 1-chome, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
The Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse is a long, thin strip of a building, 10.6 m long but only 2.6 m deep, with a building area of 25 square meters. Its walls are cut blocks of andesite, and a Wagoya roof frame rests directly on top of them, carrying a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki tiles on an east-west ridge.
The bathhouse is attached to its west gable end, and the two run together along the south boundary of the plot.
Why the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse was registered
The Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a feature that gives the inside of the estate its character.
On the Nakamura estate, the buildings from the store back to the inner room line up along the north side of the plot. Along the south edge, by contrast, the bathhouse and stone storehouse follow the passage that leads in from the gate, so anyone walking in finds a long stone wall running beside them.
What to look for at the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse
The outer walls are covered in white Shikkui plaster except at the base, where the andesite is left exposed. The inside is plastered too, apart from the lower walls. That band of stone under the white plaster is what gives the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse its look.
The family has always called it the jinken-gura, the rayon storehouse, because it held the raw silk thread and rayon the business dealt in. Inside, the space is split left and right at the entrance, and the floor on the right is said to have been boarded because silk does not tolerate damp.
A photograph in Kiryu City's description shows a door on the passage side. This was a storehouse built to protect the very goods the Nakamuras traded in, silk and rayon. Today it is used for general storage.
Visiting the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse
The Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse is inside the gate, along the passage on the south side of the plot, and its interior is not open to the public. It lies behind the store and gate, so it can hardly be seen from Honcho-dori.
The area inside the gate is private, so please do not enter. The layout of the whole estate and directions are on the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten and Nakamura Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gunma
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse
- [ Kusatsu Onsen & Tomioka Silk Mill Heritage Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse built?
- About 1937. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 10, 2005.
- What is the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse made of?
- Cut andesite blocks, with a wagoya roof frame set directly on the walls and a gabled tiled roof. The walls are plastered white except for the stone base.
- What was kept in the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse?
- Raw silk thread and rayon, which is why the family called it the rayon storehouse. The right-hand floor is said to have been boarded to keep the silk dry.
- How large is the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse?
- It is 10.6 m long and 2.6 m deep, with a building area of 25 square meters.
- Can I visit the Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse?
- No. The interior is closed, and because it stands inside the gate along the passage, it can hardly be seen from Honcho-dori.
Basic Information
| Name | Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse (中村弥市商店石蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-6-33 Honcho, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005-11-10 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 10.6 m by 2.6 m, building area 25 square meters |
| Owner | Unknown (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (inside the gate, hardly visible from the street) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004936
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Stone Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/181156
- Kiryu City: Nakamura Family Residence (Nakamura Yaichi Shoten Store) and six other buildings
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/bunkazai/1010700/kunitouroku/1002002.html
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Nakamura Family Residence Bathhouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004938
Last verified: 2026.10.06
