A Small Rice Store With a Pickling Shed
The Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse (村上家住宅米蔵, Murakami-ke Jūtaku Komegura) is a two-storey, earth-walled dozo storehouse of the late Edo period (1830–1868) in Imazu-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 10 September 2010 under registration number 34-0098.
It stands east of the clothing storehouse with its ridge running east to west. At 4.7 metres by 4.0 metres, and a footprint of 29 square metres, it is roughly six-tenths the size of its neighbour. The gabled roof is laid in full round-and-flat tiles, the building sits on a dressed-stone foundation, and the outer walls are finished in Shikkui plaster.
A barn links the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse to the clothing storehouse, so that the three form one continuous range along the north side of the estate.
Why It Was Registered
What gives the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse its character is the lean-to (Geya) attached to it. The lean-to wraps from the south face round to the east; on the south, part of it has been taken into the storehouse interior, and on the east it served as a pickling shed.
The storehouse itself wears heavy full tiling, while the lean-to is roofed in lighter pantiles. The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the lean-to with giving the exterior variety. A white box of a storehouse with lower roofs of a different tile hugging two sides looks exactly like what it was: a store not only for rice but for the preserved foods of the household kitchen.
Like the other seven structures, it was registered as a contribution to the historic landscape. With the clothing storehouse, it is one of the two stores that date back to the late Edo period.
What to Look For
From outside, watch the layering of roofs on the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse. Beneath the tall gabled roof of full tiles, the pantiled lean-to turns an L around two sides. The two tile types are easy to tell apart even at a distance: full tiling shows raised rows of round cover tiles, pantiles a softer wave.
The pickling shed on the east ties the building to kitchen work. Attaching a place for making pickles to the rice store shows how closely storage and daily cooking were linked in a house like this.
Visiting
The Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse stands inside a private residence and its interior is not open to the public. As of September 2026 there were no announced visit arrangements. It sits on the north side of the compound, so views from outside are limited. The Murakami Family Residence page covers the layout of the estate and directions.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse
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Q&A
- Can you visit the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse?
- It is inside a private residence and not open to the public. As of September 2026 there were no announced visit arrangements.
- When was the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse built?
- The national register dates it to the late Edo period (1830–1868).
- How big is the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earth-walled storehouse of 4.7 metres by 4.0 metres, with a building area of 29 square metres.
- What was the lean-to on the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse used for?
- It wraps from the south to the east side. Part of the south section is taken into the interior, and the east section served as a pickling shed.
- Is the Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse connected to the clothing storehouse?
- Yes, a barn links the two, and together the three buildings form a continuous range along the north of the estate.
Basic Information
| Name | Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse (村上家住宅米蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1929 Naganami, Imazu-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), registration no. 34-0098 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/9/10 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey dozo storehouse, tiled roof, building area 29 square metres (4.7 metres by 4.0 metres) |
| Owner | Not listed (Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Private residence; interior not open, no public opening announced |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Murakami Family Residence Rice Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008370
- Fukuyama Cultural Properties Navi (Fukuyama City): Murakami Family Residence Main House and seven others
- https://fukubun.net/ja/collection/692
Last verified: 2026.09.24
