A Long Storehouse at the Head of the West Row
The Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse (赤木家住宅西土蔵, Akagi-ke Jūtaku Nishi Dozō) is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse of the Meiji period at the north end of the west side of the Akagi estate, 972 Hikino in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 March 2006.
It measures 12 and a half bays by 2 bays: more than six times as long as it is deep. The building area comes to 148 square metres, third among the registered buildings after the main house and the east workshop.
From here the west side of the property runs south as an unbroken row of stores: the miso store, the rice store and the warehouse follow one after another. The Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse anchors the north end of that line.
A Floating Roof and Four Compartments
The gabled roof of pantiles is an okiyane, a separate roof set on top of the plastered storehouse body rather than built into it. The gap between the two lets air move; the outer roof takes the rain and the summer sun, and the dozo-zukuri walls and ceiling below stay protected.
Inside, the store is divided into 4 compartments, each with its own pair of doors, so it works like four storehouses joined end to end.
The walls are finished in shikkui lime plaster and then clad in boards, which shield the plaster from wind and rain.
Along the east side, facing into the compound, runs a lean-to eave 1 bay deep; its north end is enclosed as a timber storeroom.
On the Flood Side of the Estate
Tajima no Hyakka Jiten, a regional encyclopedia, notes that a bamboo grove was planted along the west side of the estate, the side toward the Maruyama River, to break the force of floodwater. The row of stores headed by the Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse follows that same western edge.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the storehouse as part of the chain of stores on the west side, and it was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
Seeing the West Storehouse
The storehouse stands at the back of the property. Its doors and eave face into the compound, so its working face can only be seen from inside the grounds.
The residence is a family home and is generally closed to the public, and no opening of the storehouse interior has been announced. Photography rules are not published; ask when you visit.
Directions and the terms for visiting the property are on the Akagi Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) on 2 March 2006, on the same day as the other 15 registered structures of the residence.
- How big is the Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earthen-walled store of 12 and a half by 2 bays with a building area of 148 square metres, the third largest registered building on the estate.
- What is the floating roof on the Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse?
- It is an okiyane: a separate roof set over the plastered body of the store, leaving a gap that keeps rain and sun off the earthen walls and ceiling.
- What is inside the Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse?
- The interior is divided into 4 compartments, each with its own double doors. The walls are lime-plastered and then clad in boards.
- Can visitors see the Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse?
- Its doors face into the compound, the residence is generally closed, and no interior opening has been announced. Check the Akagi Family Residence page for visiting terms.
Basic Information
| Name | Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse (赤木家住宅西土蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 972 Hikino, Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/03/02 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey earthen-walled storehouse, gabled, pantiled, floating roof; 12 and a half by 2 bays; building area 148 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the ACA database |
| Public Access | No announced interior opening; residence generally closed |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse (赤木家住宅西土蔵)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005314
- Cultural Heritage Online: Akagi Family Residence West Storehouse (赤木家住宅西土蔵)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/170622
- Tajima no Hyakka Jiten (Tanshin Regional Promotion Fund): Akagi Family Residence (赤木家住宅)
- https://tanshin-kikin.jp/tajima/564
Last verified: 2026.09.26
