A Tall Storehouse Joined to the House
Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse (福山市福寿会館西蔵, Fukuyama-shi Fukuju Kaikan Nishigura) is a two-storey earthen storehouse of the early Showa period at the northwest corner of the Fukuju Hall grounds in Marunouchi, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 February 2012.
It is an uchigura, an inner storehouse reached from the main building by a corridor on its northwest side. It measures 9.9 metres by 6.0 metres, with a building area of 59 square metres, and is built in the fire-resistant Dozo-zukuri manner. The gabled roof (Kirizuma-zukuri) is entered from the gable end (Tsumairi), laid with Hongawarabuki tiles and given a gentle upward swell known as mukuri.
Rather than standing apart in the yard, it could be reached without stepping outside. Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse is the larger of the estate's two storehouses.
Why It Was Registered
It was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a tall storehouse that pulls together the view at the northwest of the grounds.
Where the main building and tea houses spread out under low roofs, Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse rises two storeys of white wall and anchors the northwest corner, giving an edge to the otherwise horizontal Japanese wing.
What to Look For
A stone base and two bands of namako walling
Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse rests on a base of coursed stone. The walls are finished in Shikkui plaster, with Namako-kabe around the lower part of each storey: flat tiles set in a grid, their joints raised in rounded ridges of plaster. The result is two horizontal bands that divide the white walls.
A tiled roof with a slight swell
The roof uses alternating round and flat tiles and bows very slightly upward. Because the entrance is on the gable end, stand where you can see both the triangular gable wall and the curve of the roof to take in what makes this storehouse distinctive.
The east storehouse shares the stone base and double band of namako walling, but the west one is bigger and taller. Seen together, they show the same specification applied at two different sizes.
Visiting
The city's visitor information says nothing about opening Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse to the public, so plan on seeing the exterior only.
Where you can stand to view it, and how close you can get, is best checked with the office in the main building on the day, along with photography.
Directions, opening hours and closing days for the estate as a whole are on the Fukuju Hall page.
Q&A
- Can you go inside Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse?
- The city's visitor information does not mention any interior opening, so expect to see the exterior only. Ask at the office in the main building how close you can get.
- How large is Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse?
- It measures 9.9 metres by 6.0 metres, with a building area of 59 square metres, over two storeys.
- What are the main features of Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse?
- A coursed stone base, plastered walls with namako tile bands at both storeys, and a gabled tiled roof with a slight upward swell.
- Is Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse connected to the main building?
- Yes, it is an inner storehouse joined to the main building by a corridor on its northwest side.
- When was Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 February 2012.
Basic Information
| Name | Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse (福山市福寿会館西蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-1-1 Marunouchi, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and adjoining lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2012/2/23 (Heisei 24) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 9.9 metres by 6.0 metres; building area 59 square metres; 2 storeys, earthen storehouse construction |
| Owner | Fukuyama City |
| Public Access | No interior opening announced; ask at the office about viewing the exterior |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall West Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009220
- Fukuyama City: Fukuju Kaikan Japanese-style wing (Japanese)
- https://www.city.fukuyama.hiroshima.jp/site/fukuju/16605.html
- Fukuyama Cultural Properties Navi (Fukuyama City): Fukuyama City Fukuju Hall and five other buildings
- https://fukubun.net/ja/collection/680
- Fukuyama Castle Museum: Fukuju Kaikan (Japanese)
- https://fukuyamajo.jp/miru/fukujyu/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
