What Is the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall?
The Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall (黒田清右衛門商店外塀, sotobei) is a plastered wall of about 1927 that closes the gap between the shop and the inner storehouse on the north edge of the premises of Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten, a hardware wholesaler in Honmachi 2-chome, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 5, 2019.
It is a timber-framed wall with a tiled roof, partly roofed in copper, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs gives its height as 3.3 m. It is registration number 28-0730, the last of the 11 entries at Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten, and it is classed not as a building but as another structure.
Why the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall Was Registered
The Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. Miki City explains that the wall, together with the shop and main house and the inner storehouse, completes the street front of the house. On the north side facing the Himeji-michi, it fills the space between shop and storehouse so that the front of the property reads as one continuous face. That is why a wall became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
It dates from about 1927, the same time as the inner storehouse, and the annex on the west side was extended then too. The dates suggest that the corner of the property facing the street was put in order as one piece of work in the late 1920s.
What to Look for at the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall
Black plaster above, boards below
The Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall is roofed with Sangawara-buki pantiles and has a post every half bay. The posts are left exposed in Shinkabe style; the upper wall is finished in black Shikkui plaster and the base in Tateita-bari vertical boarding. Most of the storehouses here pair white plaster with boarded bases, so from the street the wall sets a band of black between the white shop and the white storehouse.
A door in the third bay
In the third bay from the west is a wooden door that opens outward. For all that it is a wall, it carries one doorway between the street and the inside of the property.
A covered passage behind
On its inner side the wall carries a copper-roofed Hisashi canopy, forming a passage to the inner storehouse. The note that the roof is partly copper most likely refers to this canopy. The storehouse door faces east, into the property, so goods could be carried to it under cover and out of sight of the road. From the street it is a plain wall; behind, it is the route to the store.
Two figures for the length
The government database gives two different lengths. Its structure field lists 6.5 m, while its descriptive text says 8.0 m. The record does not show which is correct, so both are given here.
Visiting the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall
The Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall stands on the north edge of the premises and can be seen from the Himeji-michi, between the shop and the inner storehouse. The canopy and passage behind it are inside the property and cannot be seen from the street. It belongs to a working company and no public opening is announced (checked October 2, 2026).
Keep photography to the street, and do not block the door in the wall or the shop entrance. Directions and the history of the premises are on the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall built?
- About 1927, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs. It was registered in 2019.
- Where is the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall?
- On the north edge of the premises, closing the gap between the shop and main house and the inner storehouse on the street side.
- How big is the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall?
- It is 3.3 m high. Its length is given as 6.5 m in the database structure field but 8.0 m in the description.
- What is behind the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall?
- A copper-roofed canopy that forms a covered passage to the inner storehouse.
- Can visitors see the Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall?
- Yes, from the Himeji-michi. The passage behind it is inside the property and not open to the public (checked October 2, 2026).
Basic Information
| Name | Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 980 Honmachi 2-chome and other lots, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019 |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Height 3.3 m; length 6.5 m (8.0 m in the description) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database (Miki City gives Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Co., Ltd. as owner of the premises) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street; inner side not open |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Outer Wall (in Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013163
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten Inner Storehouse (in Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013162
- Miki City History Museum: Kuroda Seiuemon Shoten (in Japanese)
- https://www.city.miki.lg.jp/site/mikirekishishiryokan/19137.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
