About the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House
The Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House (荻野家住宅物置蔵及び長屋, Ogino-ke Jūtaku Monookigura oyobi Nagaya) is a late-Meiji timber building on the south edge of the Ogino property in Shimonita, Gunma Prefecture, combining a storehouse and a row house; altered in the Taisho era, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 7, 2009. Partly two-story and partly single-story, it has a building area of 46 square meters.
The Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House faces a lane that runs along the south side of the property (殿小路). The storehouse and row house continue one into the other from east to west and were registered as a single building that forms the southern edge of the compound as seen from the lane.
How the Storehouse and Row House Are Built
The utility storehouse is a two-story timber building of 7.6 meters by 2.8 meters with a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles. The row house is single-story timber, 12 meters by 2.2 meters, with a gateway opening near the storehouse end. Shallow and narrow, the two buildings close off the south boundary of the plot.
Along the lane runs a white wall of Shikkui lime plaster above a lower band of washed mortar (Araidashi). The utility storehouse is a timber building rather than true fireproof storehouse construction, yet the white walls make the lane front read as a solid line of storehouses. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out exactly this continuous wall.
Why It Was Registered
The building carries registration number 10-0274 and was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. While the shop storehouse and main house shape the view from the main street, the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House shape the view from the back lane.
Visiting the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House
The building is privately owned and not open to the public, and the gateway in the row house is not an entrance for visitors.
Because it fronts the lane, its white walls can probably be seen from there, though we have not confirmed this on site. The lane is a local residential street, so if you stop to look, keep out of the way of traffic and take photos only from the public road.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gunma
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House
- [ Kusatsu Onsen & Tomioka Silk Mill Heritage Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House built?
- It dates from the late Meiji era and was altered in the Taisho era.
- How big is the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House?
- The storehouse is a two-story timber building of 7.6 meters by 2.8 meters and the row house a single-story building of 12 meters by 2.2 meters, with a combined building area of 46 square meters.
- What should I look for at the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House?
- The long white plaster wall with a washed-mortar base that runs along the lane on the south side.
- Why is the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on August 7, 2009, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Can I visit the Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House?
- No. It is privately owned and not open, though its exterior faces the lane.
Basic Information
| Name | Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House |
|---|---|
| Location | 334 Nishi-ko, Nakamachi, Oaza Shimonita, Shimonita Town, Kanra District, Gunma Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/8/7 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 46 square meters (storehouse: 7.6 meters by 2.8 meters; row house: 12 meters by 2.2 meters) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency's database (private residence) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior from the lane to the south) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ogino Family Residence Utility Storehouse and Row House (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007726
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ogino Family Residence Main House (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007722
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shimonita Town, Gunma (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/region/10/10382
Last verified: 2026.10.07
