About the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse
The Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse (遠藤家住宅北石蔵, Endō-ke Jūtaku Kita Ishikura) is a single-storey stone storehouse built around 1919 at 5-18 Minami 6-jo Nishi in Chuo Ward, Sapporo, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 7, 2014.
The Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse stands toward the north end of the east side of the estate, with a building area of 29 m² and a sheet-metal roof. It was registered as a solidly built store raised in one piece with the stone boundary wall.
Why the North Stone Storehouse Was Registered
The Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out its sturdiness and the way it was built together with the stone wall, making it part of the fabric of the grounds.
It follows the same pattern as the south stone storehouse further down the same side: Sapporo nanseki soft stone laid in Nunozumi courses, with the entrance on a long side in the Hirairi manner. Look closely, though, and the north storehouse is the more carefully finished of the pair.
Longer Than Its Southern Twin
The first difference is length. Measured along the ridge, the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse runs 9.1 meters, longer than its southern counterpart, and its building area is 29 m² against 18 m².
That long side is built of stone and doubles as the estate's boundary wall. Building the store and the wall as one saves both stone and labour, and setting a long, narrow store along the property line wastes none of the yard.
A Banded Eave and Round-Cornered Windows
Along the eaves of the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse runs a Hachimaki band finished with a Nokijabara cornice. The stepped projection throws a line of shadow along the top of the stonework and gives a plain box of a building a defined edge.
The windows are in the north and south gable ends. Their surrounds are cut with rounded corners, and the openings are fitted with iron bars. Softening the corners of a square opening is a small touch, but it changes the character of the wall, and the combination of security bars and a carefully shaped frame in the same window is the detail to look for here.
Seeing the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse
The interior of the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse is not open. Its east face is the boundary wall itself, so from outside on that side it reads as part of the wall. The eave band and the windows are on the inner side of the wall or on the north and south gables, and how much of them can be seen from outside the grounds is worth checking on the spot.
No official guidance on photography could be found as of October 2026.
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Q&A
- When was the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse built?
- Around 1919, like its southern counterpart.
- Why is the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2014 as a sturdy storehouse built in one piece with the stone boundary wall, contributing to the landscape of the estate.
- How does the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse differ from the south one?
- The type is the same, but the north storehouse is longer, at 9.1 meters along the ridge and 29 m² in area, and it has a banded eave cornice and round-cornered windows.
- What are the windows of the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse like?
- They are in the north and south gable ends, framed with rounded corners and fitted with iron bars.
- Can I visit the Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse?
- The interior is not open. Because its east face is the boundary wall, from outside it can be seen only as part of the wall.
Basic Information
| Name | Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse (遠藤家住宅北石蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-18 Minami 6-jo Nishi and others, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2014 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 29 m², 9.1 m long (single-storey, stone) |
| Owner | Not disclosed |
| Public Access | Not open (exterior viewable from outside the grounds only) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010091
- Cultural Heritage Online: Endo Family Residence North Stone Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/209814
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Endo Family Residence South Stone Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010090
- City of Sapporo: Cultural Properties of Sapporo, Endo Family Residence (Japanese)
- https://www.city.sapporo.jp/shimin/bunkazai/pdf/documents/p56_endoke_ol.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
