A large brewing storehouse under red tile
The Middle and East Storehouses of Kamoizumi Shuzo read as two names for a single building. It stands south of the Passage Building and runs east to west; a passage on the ground floor splits it, with the East Storehouse on one side of that passage and the Middle Storehouse on the other. Built in the Taisho period, between 1912 and 1926, it is an earthen-walled, two-storey structure of about 324 square metres, roofed in the red tile typical of Saijo.
This was a serious working brewery. Its outer walls are finished as okabe, great walls of white plaster that cover the timber frame entirely, and the windows are set with plaster-coated lattice. On the east gable a course of mizukiri-gawara throws rain clear of the wall.
Why it carries cultural-property status
The storehouse was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on 1 August 2016 for its part in the historic landscape of the district. Its scale and finish make it one of the more imposing brewing buildings in the compound, and the white plaster walls under red tile are the exact combination that gives the Saijo Sakagura-dori its recognisable look.
Saijo ranks with Nada and Fushimi as one of Japan's three great sake towns, and its brewery buildings were selected among Japan's twentieth-century heritage. Storehouses of this kind are the fabric of that reputation, built plainly and at scale for the daily work of fermenting and holding sake.
What to notice on a visit
The Middle and East Storehouses form part of a working brewery and are not open for interior tours. From the street and courtyard, the great white walls and red-tiled roof are the point to take in, together with the plaster-coated window lattice and the mizukiri course on the east gable.
Kamoizumi began in 1912 and became known for reviving junmai, pure-rice sake, after the war. Its amber brews can be tasted at the shop or the Shusenkan cafe nearby, about ten minutes on foot from JR Saijo Station.
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Q&A
- Why are there two names for one building?
- A ground-floor passage divides the structure. The part east of the passage is the East Storehouse and the part west is the Middle Storehouse, but the two form a single east-west building.
- What are the walls made of?
- They are okabe, great walls of white plaster covering the timber frame, with plaster-coated lattice at the windows. The roof uses the red tile characteristic of Saijo.
- Can I go inside?
- No. It is a working brewing storehouse and is not open for interior viewing, though its exterior defines much of the compound's look.
- When was it built?
- In the Taisho period, between 1912 and 1926. It was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2016.
Basic Information
| Name | Kamoizumi Shuzo Middle and East Storehouses (Nakagura oyobi Higashigura) |
|---|---|
| Location | 944 area, Kamiichi-machi, Saijo, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registration date | 1 August 2016 (registration no. 34-0185) |
| Count / structure | 1 building; earthen-walled, two storeys, tile roof, floor area approx. 324 m2 |
| Period | Taisho period (1912-1926) |
| Owner | Kamoizumi Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Access | About 10 min on foot from JR Saijo Station; interior not open |
References
- National Database of Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs — Kamoizumi Shuzo Middle and East Storehouses
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011192
- Kamoizumi Shuzo Co., Ltd. official site
- https://www.kamoizumi.co.jp/
- Higashihiroshima Tourism — Kamoizumi Shuzo
- https://higashihiroshima-kanko.jp/spot/kamoizumi/
Last verified: 2026.07.03