A Small Inspection Shed by the Gate
The Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 (阿江ハンカチーフ検反場二, Ae Hankachīfu Kentanba Ni) is a single-storey timber shed of about 1955 at 593-3 Yasui, Shimotakino, Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, and others, where woven cloth was checked, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 28, 2017. It has a tiled roof and a building area of 34 square meters.
Kentan, cloth inspection, means unrolling a finished bolt and looking for uneven weaving, flaws and broken threads before it becomes a product. Ae Handkerchief already had a large inspection shed from 1911; this second one was added after the war.
The Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 stands just north of the gate in the middle of the east side of the western plot. It is the smallest of the six registered Ae Handkerchief buildings.
How the Shed Is Built
The Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs counts it among the buildings that show the production process of the textile industry.
It measures 8.9 by 3.8 meters and faces south. The roof is framed with a Truss and laid as a single monopitch of pantiles.
The outside is clad in overlapping weatherboards, the inside walls are painted, and, the Agency notes, the daylight windows survive well. Light for spotting flaws in cloth is what this building was for.
What to Look For at Inspection Shed No. 2
Notice how the narrow plan and the single-slope roof work together. The shed is only 3.8 meters deep, with the roof tilted one way and the front turned to the south.
Compare the finishes as well: weatherboarding outside, paint inside.
Its position by the gate is telling too. The place where cloth was checked sits close to the route by which it left the mill.
Visiting the Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2
The Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 stands south-facing just north of the gate on the east side of the western plot. Being near the gate it may be visible from the road, but this has not been confirmed. Ae Handkerchief is a working textile company, and no interior viewing of this building is advertised.
Please stay off the premises and view what you can from the road. Visiting conditions and directions are on the Ae Handkerchief page.
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Q&A
- What is the Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2?
- It is a single-storey timber shed of about 1955 where finished cloth was checked for flaws and uneven weaving. Its building area is 34 square meters.
- When was the Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 registered?
- It became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 28, 2017, as No. 28-0668.
- How is the Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 built?
- It measures 8.9 by 3.8 meters, faces south, and has a truss-framed monopitch roof of pantiles. The outside is weatherboarded, the inside painted, and the daylight windows survive.
- How does the Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 differ from Shed No. 1?
- Shed No. 1 dates from 1911 and covers 347 square meters; Shed No. 2 is a small building of about 1955 covering 34 square meters.
- Can visitors see the Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2?
- It belongs to an operating company and no interior viewing is advertised. It stands near the gate, but how well it can be seen from the road has not been confirmed. To ask about a visit, contact Ae Handkerchief Co., Ltd. or the Kato City Board of Education's cultural properties section in advance.
Basic Information
| Name | Ae Handkerchief Cloth Inspection Shed No. 2 (阿江ハンカチーフ検反場二) |
|---|---|
| Location | 593-3 Yasui, Shimotakino, Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), No. 28-0668 |
| Year Designated | Registered June 28, 2017 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 34 square meters (8.9 by 3.8 meters) |
| Owner | Ae Handkerchief Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Owned by an operating company; Kato City lists it as open but gives no dates or visiting method |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 阿江ハンカチーフ検反場二
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011781
- Cultural Heritage Online: 阿江ハンカチーフ検反場二
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/222887
- Kato City: 阿江ハンカチーフ検反場二 (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kato.lg.jp/kakukanogoannai/kyouikushinkoubu/shogaigakushuka/bunkazai/siteibunkazai/tourokuyuukeibunkazai/1545471739446.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
