A Storehouse Attached to the House
The Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse (阿江家住宅内蔵, Ae-ke Jūtaku Uchigura) is a two-storey earthen storehouse of about 1948 joined to the north end of the main house's east wing at the Ae Family Residence, 590 Shimotakino, Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 28, 2017. It is built in the earthen-walled dozo style with a tiled roof and a building area of 39 square meters.
An uchigura, or inner storehouse, is one built onto the house itself, as opposed to a storehouse standing apart in the yard. The Ae inner storehouse is attached to the east wing, and differs in both position and size from the tool and rice storehouses that stand on their own at the north of the site.
It is almost exactly square, 4.9 meters on each side, with a gabled roof and its entrance in the gable end (Tsumairi), fronted by a small porch-like kuramae.
How It Is Built, and Why It Was Registered
The Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse was registered as a building that has become a model of design, the same criterion as the two main-house wings registered that day. The Agency for Cultural Affairs stresses above all how carefully it is made.
Only the front is faced with Namako-kabe, the lattice of square tiles with raised plaster joints; the other three sides combine lime plaster with board cladding. The costly finish is kept for the face that visitors see.
On the ground floor, two round windows open in the north wall; upstairs, one sliding window each faces east and west. The hinged double doors at the entrance and the earthen inner doors are coated in black plaster, a finish that takes considerable work to polish.
What to Look For at the Inner Storehouse
The pair of round windows in the north wall is the detail to find. Storehouse windows are usually square, so two round ones side by side show a deliberate touch of design. Kato City's page on the building shows exactly this pair.
From the front, the white grid of the namako wall and the black-plastered doors appear together, and that contrast defines the face of the Ae Inner Storehouse.
Its position tells you something too. The tool and rice storehouses stand free in the yard, while the inner storehouse is an extension of the living quarters.
Visiting the Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse
The Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse is attached to the north of the east wing, and how much of its front or its round windows can be seen from the road has not been confirmed. It is part of a private home, and no interior viewing is advertised.
Please stay outside the grounds. Visiting conditions and directions are on the Ae Family Residence page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse
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Q&A
- What is the Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earthen storehouse of about 1948, attached to the north of the main house's east wing. It is 4.9 meters square with a building area of 39 square meters.
- When was the Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse registered?
- It became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 28, 2017, as No. 28-0665, recognized as a building that has become a model of design.
- How are the walls of the Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse finished?
- The front alone is faced with namako tiles; the other sides are lime plaster with board cladding. The entrance doors and inner earthen doors are finished in black plaster.
- What is special about the windows of the Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- There are two round windows in the north wall on the ground floor and one sliding window each on the east and west upstairs. The round pair is the storehouse's signature.
- Can visitors see the Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- It is part of a private home and no interior viewing is advertised. How well it can be seen from the road has not been confirmed.
Basic Information
| Name | Ae Family Residence Inner Storehouse (阿江家住宅内蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 590 Shimotakino, Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), No. 28-0665 |
| Year Designated | Registered June 28, 2017 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey earthen storehouse, tiled roof, building area 39 square meters (4.9 meters square) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Part of a private house; Kato City lists it as open but gives no dates or visiting method |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 阿江家住宅内蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011778
- Cultural Heritage Online: 阿江家住宅内蔵
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/222684
- Kato City: 阿江家住宅内蔵 (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kato.lg.jp/kakukanogoannai/kyouikushinkoubu/shogaigakushuka/bunkazai/siteibunkazai/tourokuyuukeibunkazai/1545455746560.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
