Hino Family Residence Barn
On the eastern side of the estate a two-storey barn runs north to south, about 17 metres along its ridge, its walls built in the shinkabe manner with the posts left visible. It dates from the middle Meiji years, between 1883 and 1897.
The barn stands at the eastern edge of the Hino compound in Fukase, Kōda-chō, Aki-Takata, Hiroshima, where fields open beyond it. Along its south end an attached gate marks the eastern boundary of the site.
The building was divided by use. Its northern half served as a store for materials, an open single volume rising the full height, while the southern half was a cowshed of two storeys whose upper floor held fodder.
Why It Matters
Registered on 17 November 2015 for its part in the historic landscape, the barn records the farming and livestock side of a household that worked for generations to improve rural life. The Hino family, formerly named Nakamura, promoted better agriculture, forestry and village industry from the mid-Edo period onward.
The value of the barn lies in how plainly it shows this ordinary work. The visible-post walls, the tall open store and the fodder loft are the fabric of a working farm rather than a display piece.
Its attached gate ties the barn into the boundary of the estate, so that even this utilitarian building helps define the edge and the look of the compound from the fields.
What to Look For
Seen across the fields to the east, the barn and its gate close the estate on that side and set off the residence beyond. The shinkabe walls with their exposed posts are worth noticing for the honest way they show the building's structure.
Think of the north half open to the roof and the south half stacked with fodder above the cattle, and the barn's double life becomes clear. It is the working counterpart to the formal gates and storehouses elsewhere on the site.
The residence is privately held and not open inside, so the barn is best taken in from the road and the surrounding fields. For a site that can be entered nearby, the ruins of Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle and the Aki-Takata City Museum of History and Folklore are both within easy reach.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hino Family Residence Barn
- [ Itsukushima Shrine & Hiroshima Peace Memorial ]
Q&A
- What was the barn used for?
- Its north half stored materials and its south half was a cowshed, with fodder kept on the upper floor.
- When was it built?
- In the middle Meiji period, between 1883 and 1897.
- Does it have its own gate?
- Yes. A gate attached at the south end marks the eastern boundary of the estate.
- Can I see inside?
- No. The residence is private, but the barn is visible from the road and fields.
Basic Information
| Name | Hino Family Residence Barn / 日野家住宅納屋 |
|---|---|
| Location | 172 Kō and 172 Otsu (merged), Fukase, Kōda-chō, Aki-Takata, Hiroshima |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registered | 17 November 2015 (registration no. 34-0153) |
| Structure | Two-storey timber with exposed-post walls, tiled roof, attached gate, floor area approx. 99 m² |
| Built | mid-Meiji (1883 to 1897) |
| Access | Privately owned; not generally open to the public |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁） — 日野家住宅納屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010896
- 安芸高田市 — 日野家住宅
- https://www.akitakata.jp/ja/shisei/section/kyouiku/shisekibunkazai/cultural_asset/r899/
- 文化遺産オンライン — 日野家住宅主屋
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/276956
Last verified: 2026.07.03