About the Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse
The Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse (梶原家住宅古書倉, Kajiwara-ke Jūtaku Koshogura) is a reinforced-concrete book repository built around 1947 on the Kajiwara estate in Oshio, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
The Old Book Storehouse stands south of the inner great storehouse and east of the inner storehouse. It is a long, narrow single-storey building, 7.0 by 2.9 meters, with a building area of 24 square meters. It is the newest of the estate's 20 registered structures and the only one in reinforced concrete.
Concrete Walls, a Tiled Roof
The Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse runs east to west under a gabled roof of pantiles (sangawarabuki). The structure is concrete, but the roof matches the earthen storehouses around it. The walls are finished in scraped mortar (kakiotoshi), which gives them a soft, matte texture.
The door is on the west end and the window on the east, one opening at each end of the narrow plan.
An Interior Made for Books
Inside, a slatted mat (su) is laid over the concrete floor, and the walls are lined with boards. The slats keep anything stored from resting directly on concrete, and the timber lining helps shield books from damp and cold.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the building as a sturdy, practical library store. What the collection contained is not recorded. Around the same year, 1947, the neighboring inner storehouse and inner great storehouse were renovated, so the book store was added as part of a wider overhaul of the courtyard storehouses. Registration was granted for its part in the historic landscape.
Seeing the Old Book Storehouse
The Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse is part of a private home and is not open to the public. Tucked among the courtyard buildings, it is not expected to be visible from the road (not verified on site).
An introduction to the estate and directions are on the Kajiwara Family Residence (Nishi-Kajiwara) page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- How do you say the Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse in Japanese?
- Koshogura, literally "old-book store".
- When was the Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse built?
- Around 1947, making it the newest of the estate's 20 registered structures.
- What is the Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse made of?
- Reinforced concrete, with a gabled pantiled roof and scraped mortar walls.
- What is inside the Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse?
- A slatted mat over the concrete floor and board-lined walls.
- Can I visit the Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book Storehouse?
- No. It stands within a private home that is not open to visitors.
Basic Information
| Name | Kajiwara Family Residence Old Book 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 24 m² (7.0 m by 2.9 m) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private home; exterior from the street) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs database: 梶原家住宅古書倉
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007903
- Cultural Heritage Online: 梶原家住宅古書倉
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/187803
- Himeji City: 梶原家住宅（西梶原）古書倉
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001772.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
