Forecourt Shelter and Rear Gate of the Ceramics Storehouse, Hirao Family Residence
A house that received rank and ran a great agricultural estate needed a considered face, and the Hirao Family Residence in Toyooka has many. The Hirao served as great village headmen and were among the leading landowners of Tajima; within their roughly 4,000-square-metre grounds, some twenty buildings and a sequence of gates and walls, raised from the Edo period into the early Showa era, order the approach and the interior alike.
The Structure Itself
This small structure, one bay by two under a gabled pantile roof, attaches its west gable end to the east face of the ceramics storehouse and shelters the space in front of it. An eave extends on the east side; the north slope is kept short, while the south eave runs on to meet the storehouse's own south penthouse.
The east and south sides are left open, while a pair of doors set on the north side, between the ceramics storehouse and the salt-and-miso storehouse, serves as a rear gate. Among the heavy okabe walls of the storehouse cluster, plastered flush over their framing, the exposed shinkabe gable of this little shelter reads as a deliberate accent, a lighter note among the massive earthen-walled stores.
Why It Was Registered
The estate was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2008, recognising how completely the framework of a great landowner's compound, its main house, quarters, storehouses, walls and waterworks, survives here as a single ensemble. Each registered element earns its place less as a solitary monument than as one part of that larger, coherent whole.
Seeing It Today
The Hirao Family Residence remains a private home and is, as a rule, not open to the public. Visitors should not expect interior access, and the family's privacy asks for a respectful distance. The exterior and its river setting can be appreciated from the public road nearby, and travellers to this corner of Tajima can pair a passing look with the region's more accessible sights: the willow-lined hot-spring town of Kinosaki Onsen, the old castle town of Izushi with its soba and clock tower, and the columnar basalt cliffs of Genbudo Park along the Maruyama River.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hirao Family Pottery Storehouse Front and Back Gate
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- Can I go inside the Hirao Family Residence?
- No. The residence is privately owned and generally closed to the public. You can view its exterior and river setting from the adjacent public road, but please respect the residents' privacy.
- What is a kurama or storehouse forecourt?
- It is a roofed working space set in front of a storehouse, here the ceramics store, giving shelter for handling goods. The paired doors on its north side double as a rear gate between two storehouses.
- How old is this part of the estate?
- It dates to the mid-Meiji period (1868–1911). The estate as a whole was built up across generations, from Edo-period storehouses through the 1896 main house to early-Showa additions, so its elements span more than a century.
- What else can I see nearby?
- Toyooka offers Kinosaki Onsen for its hot springs, the castle town of Izushi for soba and historic streets, and Genbudo Park for its dramatic columnar basalt, all within easy reach of the Morio district.
Basic Information
| Name | Forecourt Shelter and Rear Gate of the Ceramics Storehouse, Hirao Family Residence (平尾家住宅陶器蔵蔵前及び裏門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 958 Ando, Morio, Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registered | 7 March 2008 (gazetted 19 March 2008) |
| Count | 1棟 |
| Structure | Timber, tiled roof; floor area 10 sq m |
| Period | mid-Meiji period (1868–1911) |
| Ownership / Access | Privately owned; not open to the public |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs — 平尾家住宅陶器蔵蔵前及び裏門
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006887
- Cultural Heritage Online — Main House, Hirao Family Residence
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/186783
- The Tajima (Tajima Encyclopedia) — Hirao Family Residence
- https://the-tajima.com/spot/393/
Last verified: 2026.07.02