A Warehouse on the Street Corner
The Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse (阿江ハンカチーフ旧製品倉庫, Ae Hankachīfu Kyū Seihin Sōko) is a two-storey timber warehouse of about 1948 at 593-3 Yasui, Shimotakino, Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, and others, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 28, 2017. It has a tiled roof and a building area of 64 square meters.
The Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse stands at the northwest corner of the eastern plot, fronting the road. It is the only one of the six registered Ae Handkerchief buildings on that plot; the other five are grouped on the western side.
It was built around 1948, the year the business was incorporated as Ae Shokufu Kōjō Co. The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it among the ancillary buildings of the textile industry, a store for finished goods.
How the Warehouse Is Built
The Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape.
It measures 9.9 by 5.9 meters over two storeys, with a gabled roof and a lean-to Geya across the front.
The double doors are sheathed in iron sheet, and the upper floor has two iron-barred windows in each of its north and south walls. The roof is framed with a King post truss, a Western-style triangle of timbers around a central post.
What to Look For at the Product Warehouse
Start with the iron-clad double doors. Together with the barred windows, they were presumably meant to guard stock against fire and theft.
Then look at the upper windows: two identical barred openings on each of the north and south sides.
The corner site matters too. The Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse sits on the street front rather than deep inside the works, where goods could leave most easily.
Visiting the Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse
The Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse stands at the northwest corner of the eastern plot, facing the road. Of the six buildings it is probably the easiest to see from the street, though 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 Former Product Warehouse?
- It is a two-storey timber warehouse of about 1948 that stored finished products. Its building area is 64 square meters.
- When was the Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse registered?
- It became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 28, 2017, as No. 28-0671.
- Where does the Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse stand?
- At the northwest corner of Ae Handkerchief's eastern plot, facing the road. The other five registered buildings are on the western plot.
- What are the features of the Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse?
- A gabled roof with a front lean-to, iron-sheathed double doors, two iron-barred windows on each of the upper north and south walls, and a king-post truss roof frame.
- Can visitors see the Ae Handkerchief Former Product Warehouse?
- It belongs to an operating company and no interior viewing is advertised. It fronts the road, but how well it can be seen 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 Former Product Warehouse (阿江ハンカチーフ旧製品倉庫) |
|---|---|
| Location | 593-3 Yasui, Shimotakino, Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), No. 28-0671 |
| Year Designated | Registered June 28, 2017 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 64 square meters (9.9 by 5.9 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: 阿江ハンカチーフ旧製品倉庫
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011784
- Cultural Heritage Online: 阿江ハンカチーフ旧製品倉庫
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/294540
- Kato City: 阿江ハンカチーフ旧製品倉庫 (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kato.lg.jp/kakukanogoannai/kyouikushinkoubu/shogaigakushuka/bunkazai/siteibunkazai/tourokuyuukeibunkazai/1545472081310.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
