About the Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse
The Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse (梶原家住宅大工倉, Kajiwara-ke Jūtaku Daikugura) is a two-storey timber storehouse of the mid-Meiji era on the southern edge of the Kajiwara estate in Oshio, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture; renovated around 1956, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
With a building area of 170 square meters, the Carpenter's Storehouse is second in size only to the main house among the estate's 20 registered structures. The national register lists it as having a water tank.
A Storehouse of Uneven Length
The Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse is trapezoidal in plan. Its depth is a constant 9.1 meters, but the east side runs 16 meters and the west side only 13. The difference most likely follows the line of the plot's southern boundary.
The gabled roof has a lean-to canopy (geya) 3.0 meters deep along the west side. The walls are clad entirely in vertical boards (tateita-bari), with doors toward the north end of the west side and in the middle of the south side. Unlike the white-plastered storehouses around the courtyard, this is a plain timber work building.
A Trace of the Salt Fields
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse as preserving a trace of the salt fields that once spread south of the estate. Houses now cover that ground, but this large building at the southern end of the compound still marks the side of the estate that once faced the salt pans.
The name suggests a store for the tools and materials used to build and repair the estate, but no record of its actual use has been found. The agency registered it as a building that contributes to the historic landscape.
Seeing the Carpenter's Storehouse
The Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse is part of a private home and is not open to the public. It stands on the southern edge of the plot; whether its exterior can be seen from the south has not been checked on site.
Directions are on the Kajiwara Family Residence (Nishi-Kajiwara) page.
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Q&A
- When was the Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse built?
- In the mid-Meiji era, with renovation around 1956.
- How big is the Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse?
- Its building area is 170 square meters, second only to the main house on the estate.
- Why is the Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse trapezoidal?
- Its east side is 16 meters long and its west side 13, probably following the shape of the southern boundary.
- How is the Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse linked to the salt fields?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs says it preserves a trace of the salt fields that once lay south of the estate.
- Can I visit the Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse?
- No. It belongs to a private home that does not admit visitors.
Basic Information
| Name | Kajiwara Family Residence Carpenter's Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 457 Miyanomoto, Oshiocho, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2009 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 170 m² (9.1 m deep; 16 m long on the east side, 13 m on the west), with water tank |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private home; exterior from the street) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs database: 梶原家住宅大工倉
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007906
- Himeji City: 梶原家住宅（西梶原）大工倉
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001780.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
