The Oldest Building in the Compound
The Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse (信岡家住宅西の蔵, Nobuoka-ke Jūtaku Nishi no Kura) is a two-storey earthen storehouse of 1808 standing west of the main house at the Nobuoka Family Residence in Tode, Shin’ichi-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 18 April 2008.
It runs east to west and measures 13 metres by 5.1 metres, a building area of 66 square metres, under a gabled roof of traditional round-and-flat tiles. Its size matches the east storehouse exactly, but it is turned at right angles to it.
Built in 1808 (Bunka 5), the Nobuoka west storehouse is the oldest of the eight registered buildings, eighteen years older than the main house and east storehouse of 1826. It was the first of the present buildings to go up.
Why It Was Registered
The west storehouse was listed as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce: an earthen storehouse more than two centuries old that still keeps its decorative Namako-kabe tilework.
Where the east storehouse held rice, this one is described as a store for household goods. Such storehouses typically kept the trays, lacquer bowls, folding screens and hanging scrolls brought out for guests, Buddhist services and celebrations. Its position on the western side, near the reception rooms and the teahouse, would have kept those things close to where they were used.
What to Look At
Varied tilework
Namako-kabe covers the base of the walls and the area above the eaves of the lean-to, and according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs the pattern changes from one area to another. Compare the way the tiles are laid and the joints are raised at each level.
Two rooms, two doors
The interior is divided into an eastern and a western room, each with its own doorway, one on the east face and one on the south.
An L-shaped lean-to
A lean-to roofed in pantiles wraps around the east and south sides, sheltering both doorways. The contrast between the heavier round-and-flat tiles of the main roof and the lighter Sangawara-buki of the lean-to is worth noticing.
Visiting
As of October 2026 there is no notice of public access to the Nobuoka west storehouse, and the interior cannot be visited. It stands deep in the compound, west of the main house, and is unlikely to be visible from the road. Even on event days at the Nobuoka Flat Museum, check whether this part of the grounds is open.
Q&A
- When was the Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse built?
- It was built in 1808 (Bunka 5), making it the oldest of the eight registered buildings at the Nobuoka Family Residence.
- What was the Nobuoka west storehouse used for?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a store for household goods, as distinct from the east storehouse, which by tradition held rice.
- How big is the Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earthen storehouse with a tiled gable roof, 13 metres by 5.1 metres, with a building area of 66 square metres, the same size as the east storehouse.
- Why is the Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 18 April 2008 as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce. Its namako-kabe tilework changes pattern from one part of the wall to another.
- Can I visit the Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse?
- There was no notice of public access as of October 2026, and the interior cannot be visited. It stands deep inside the compound and is hard to see from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse (信岡家住宅西の蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2166 Tode, Shin'ichi-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/4/18 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 66 square metres |
| Owner | Nobuoka Jisho Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (no notice of public access) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007129
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nobuoka Family Residence West Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/144391
Last verified: 2026.10.08
