About the Building
The Shoda Shoyu Brewery Storehouse No. 8 (正田醤油八号蔵) is a long single-storey timber brewing storehouse of the early Taisho period on the grounds of Shoda Shoyu at Sakae-cho, Tatebayashi City, Gunma Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 17, 2004 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as timber, single storey, tiled roof, building area 1,479 square metres, registration number 10-0110.
Shoda Shoyu and the Building
According to Shoda Shoyu, the Shoda family ran the rice dealership Yonebun from the Edo period, and the third Shoda Bun'emon turned the business to soy sauce brewing in 1873.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it stands north-south west of Nos. 6 and 7 and is remarkably long, fifty-two bays.
Value as a Registered Cultural Property
The Shoda Shoyu Brewery Storehouse No. 8 was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. Its long walls and roof create a landscape typical of a brewery along the west side of the site (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a gabled pan-tiled roof over an interior like No. 6 with trusses, except that Japanese-style roof framing is used on the line of No. 6's south gable and at both gable ends.
Visiting
The Shoda Shoyu Brewery Storehouse No. 8 is within the Shoda Shoyu grounds at 3-1 Sakae-cho, Tatebayashi. It stands within a working brewery; factory tours are currently suspended, so the interior cannot be visited.
According to Shoda Shoyu, the Shoda Memorial Hall can be visited free of charge from 10:00 to 16:00 on company working days (closed weekends, holidays, summer break and New Year); groups of ten or more must book. Factory tours are currently suspended. It is a 2-minute walk from the west exit of Tatebayashi Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line. See the group page Shoda Shoyu (Tatebayashi) for all six registered buildings.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gunma
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shoda Shoyu Brewery Storehouse No. 8
- [ Kusatsu Onsen & Tomioka Silk Mill Heritage Tours ]
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In the early Taisho period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is it?
- Within the grounds of Shoda Shoyu at Sakae-cho, Tatebayashi (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is the roof framed?
- Mainly with trusses, but with Japanese-style framing in places and at both gable ends (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When did Shoda Shoyu begin brewing?
- In 1873, when the rice-dealing Shoda family turned to soy sauce (Shoda Shoyu).
- When was the Shoda Shoyu Brewery Storehouse No. 8 registered?
- On February 17, 2004.
Basic Information
| Name | Shoda Shoyu Brewery Storehouse No. 8 (正田醤油八号蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-1 Sakae-cho, Tatebayashi City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/02/17 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled roof, building area 1,479 square metres |
| Owner | Shoda Shoyu Co. |
| Public Access | Within the brewery grounds; interior not open |
References
- Shoda Shoyu Brewery Storehouse No. 8 (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003812
- Shoda Shoyu Shoda Memorial Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003808
- Shoda Shoyu Archive Storehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003809
- Shoda Memorial Hall Visits (Shoda Shoyu)
- https://www.shoda.co.jp/facility/kinenkan
- Shoda Shoyu Shoda Memorial Hall (Japan Heritage Portal)
- https://japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/4182/
Last verified: 2026.10.11
