The Rice Store by the East Gate
The Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse (信岡家住宅東の蔵, Nobuoka-ke Jūtaku Higashi no Kura) is a two-storey earthen storehouse of 1826 standing southeast 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 north to south and measures 13 metres by 5.1 metres, a building area of 66 square metres. The gabled roof is laid with traditional round-and-flat tiles, and the compound’s east gate is attached to its southeastern corner. By tradition it was the family’s rice store.
It dates from the same year as the main house, so the Nobuoka family’s home and its granary were built together.
Why It Was Registered
The east storehouse was listed as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce. Its walls of black Shikkui plaster, banded with Namako-kabe tilework, call for materials and plastering skills that are hard to come by today.
For a village headman, the rice store held both wealth and responsibility. In a household that handled tax rice and tenant rents, the solidity of the storehouse reflected the family’s credit. Building it together with the east gate also suggests an eye for how rice was moved in and out.
What to Look At
Black plaster and namako tiles
The walls are finished in black plaster, with namako-kabe running along the base and above the small drip roofs set partway up the wall. Namako-kabe is made by fixing flat tiles to the wall and raising the joints in white plaster, a finish that resists rain and fire. White lattice against black wall gives the building its crisp, formal look.
Two rooms inside
The interior is divided into a southern and a northern room, presumably so that different goods could be kept apart.
A sheltered loading area
Along the west side, facing the main house, runs a lean-to roof over an earth floor, giving the family a dry place to load and unload in the rain.
The east gate
The east gate at the southeastern corner gave the compound a second entrance beside the main nagayamon gate. Rice and farm tools could be carried straight into the eastern, working side of the compound.
Visiting
As of October 2026 there is no notice of regular public access to the Nobuoka east storehouse. The Nobuoka Flat Museum’s website includes an exterior photo captioned “gallery (east storehouse),” which suggests it is sometimes used for events, but check what is open before you go.
On event days, the best view of the black walls and tilework is from the southeast side of the main house.
Q&A
- When was the Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse built?
- It was built in 1826 (Bunsei 9), the same year as the main house, and is said to have been the family’s rice store.
- How big is the Nobuoka east storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earthen storehouse with a tiled gable roof, measuring 13 metres by 5.1 metres for a building area of 66 square metres, with the east gate at its southeastern corner.
- What details should I look for on the Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse?
- Look for the black plaster walls and the namako-kabe tilework along the base and above the drip roofs, the sheltered loading area on the west side and the east gate.
- Why is the Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 18 April 2008 as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce.
- Can I visit the Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse?
- There was no notice of regular public access as of October 2026. The Nobuoka Flat Museum shows it on its website, so check on event days whether it is open.
Basic Information
| Name | Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse (信岡家住宅東の蔵) |
|---|---|
| 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, with east gate |
| Owner | Nobuoka Jisho Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | No regular public access (sometimes used for events) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007128
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nobuoka Family Residence East Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/191850
- Nobuoka Flat Museum (Japanese)
- https://nobuoka-museum.jimdofree.com/
Last verified: 2026.10.08
