The west corner, 1903
Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 (Chairs Gallery), 上川倉庫三号倉庫 in Japanese, on Miyashita-dori in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, is a single-storey brick warehouse with a timber frame, built in 1903; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 20, 2001 (number 01-0041).
Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 occupies the west corner of the site, side by side with Warehouse No. 2 at the north corner, while Warehouse No. 10 meets it at a right angle across a passage. It is in the agency's entry for this building that the Agency for Cultural Affairs notes the warehouses were first used to store grain.
A dark base and a toothed cornice
Look at the top and bottom edges of the walls. The plinth is laid in over-burnt brick, fired hotter and darker than the ordinary red, so a dark band runs along the foot of the building.
Under the eaves runs a cornice set with dentils, made by laying brick headers two deep so they project like a row of teeth. The agency credits this plinth and cornice with giving the exterior its crisp definition.
The roof is carried on timber king post trusses, a Western framing system in which a central post and diagonal struts form a triangle, leaving the floor below free of columns.
From chairs to a civic gallery
Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 was registered on November 20, 2001, for its contribution to the historic landscape. The words Chairs Gallery in its registered name record its use at the time as a showroom for chairs.
According to the Asahikawa Design Association, the room opened in January 1997 as Gallery Frame 45, a display of picture frames. From September 1998 to June 2018 it was the Chairs Gallery, showing classic chairs from the collection of the chair researcher Oda Noritsugu. Since August 2018 it has been the Asahikawa Civic Gallery, used for exhibitions by residents and local groups.
Visiting
The Asahikawa Civic Gallery opens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes from December 30 to January 4; the design association says admission is generally free. Exhibitions usually change every week or two, and while one is on you can step inside and look up at the king post trusses.
Whether you may photograph the works depends on each exhibition, so ask at the desk. The west corner and the dentilled cornice of Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 can also be seen from the street.
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Q&A
- Where is Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3?
- On Miyashita-dori in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, at the west corner of the Kamikawa Warehouses site, beside Warehouse No. 2.
- When was Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 built?
- In 1903. The Kamikawa warehouses were first used to store grain.
- What should I look for on Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3?
- The over-burnt brick plinth and the cornice of brick headers laid two deep as dentils. Inside, the roof rests on timber king post trusses.
- Is the Chairs Gallery in Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 still open?
- No. According to the Asahikawa Design Association the Chairs Gallery ran until June 2018; since August 2018 the room has been the Asahikawa Civic Gallery.
- Can I go inside Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3?
- Yes, during Asahikawa Civic Gallery exhibitions, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is generally free, and it closes from December 30 to January 4.
Basic Information
| Name | Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 (Chairs Gallery); 上川倉庫三号倉庫（チェアーズギャラリー） |
|---|---|
| Location | 1604-1 and 1604-2 Miyashita-dori 11-chome, Asahikawa City, Hokkaido |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 01-0041 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2001/11/20 (Heisei 13) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Brick with timber frame, 1 storey, metal sheet roof; building area 223 m² |
| Owner | Kamikawa Warehouse Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Used as the Asahikawa Civic Gallery; open during exhibitions, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed December 30 to January 4); generally free |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 (Chairs Gallery)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002494
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kamikawa Warehouse No. 3 (Chairs Gallery)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/115374
- Asahikawa Design Association — Asahikawa Civic Gallery overview
- https://ada-jp.org/civic-gallery-gaiyo.html
- Asahikawa City — About the Asahikawa Civic Gallery
- https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/kurashi/329/348/361/p000161.html
Last verified: 2026.10.07
