The Shimada Shoten Former Office
The Shimada Shoten Former Office (島田商店旧事務所, Shimada Shōten Kyū-jimusho) is a single-storey timber building of the late Meiji period in Tomoecho 1-chome, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 29, 2006; its registration number is 10-0204.
It adjoins the west side of the store and faces the south street (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Kiryu City). The Shimada family acquired it with the land in 1928, made it their office in 1937 and altered it again in 1985.
A Boarded Office with a Back Corridor
The Shimada Shoten Former Office is 3 ken by 4 ken, with its ridge running east to west. After acquiring it the family laid a boarded floor for the office and added an irregular 6-mat room on the north; a corridor along the north side leads to the store (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Later the south part of the interior was converted into a garage (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Shimada Shoten Former Office was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. It fills the gap between the store and the stone storehouse on the south street, and gives a timber building a Western-style face with a Parapet and a stepped gable.
What to Look For
From the south street, the front of the Shimada Shoten Former Office is topped by a parapet that hides the roof. Round the west gable, the top of the entrance is shaped as a step gable (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
West of the office a passage about 4 metres wide runs back between it and the stone storehouse; Kiryu City says it was once used for carrying goods.
Visiting
The Shimada Shoten Former Office is privately owned and there is no information on interior access. View it from the south street; the passage on its west side lies inside the lot, so do not walk in.
Q&A
- How old is the Shimada Shoten Former Office?
- It dates from the late Meiji period and was altered in 1937 and 1985 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is distinctive about the Shimada Shoten Former Office?
- The parapet across its south front and the step gable over the entrance on the west side (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What was the Shimada Shoten Former Office used for?
- The Shimada family used it as a boarded-floor office; later the south part of the interior became a garage.
- Can I visit the Shimada Shoten Former Office?
- No interior access is offered. The exterior can be seen from the south street.
- When was the Shimada Shoten Former Office registered?
- On November 29, 2006 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Shimada Shoten Former Office (島田商店旧事務所) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-1121-8 Tomoecho, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/11/29 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single-storey, tile roof, building area 44 m² |
| Owner | Unknown (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | No interior access; exterior visible from the south street |
References
- Shimada Shoten Former Office (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00005925
- Shimada Shoten Former Office (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/190650
- Shimada Shoten and Shimada Family Residence, 7 buildings (Kiryu City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kiryu.lg.jp/kankou/bunkazai/1010700/kunitouroku/1008501.html
Last verified: 2026.11.01
