A Concrete Storehouse Dressed to Match the Villa
Most household storehouses are purely practical, but this one was given the same architectural manners as the mansion it served. The Storehouse of the Onzan Memorial Hall stands just north of the Main Building on the former estate of industrialist Nitta Chojiro (1857–1936) in Nishinomiya, Hyogo. Nitta founded the school that became Matsuyama University, and his family donated the property to the university in 1989, which is why a storehouse in Hyogo now carries an Ehime university's name.
The building dates from 1928, the year the estate was completed, and shares its architect, Nitta's son-in-law Kigo Shichiro (1884–1955). It is a two-story reinforced concrete structure of about 65 square meters, measuring 8.1 meters along the ridge and 3.6 meters in depth, with a gabled roof laid in Spanish (S-shaped) tiles. Although its job was to hold the household's everyday goods, it was built to sit comfortably beside the villa rather than as a bare utility block.
Why the Storehouse Is Protected
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the building in March 2006 as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, number 28-0218, under the criterion for structures that serve as a model of design. It was among six structures on the estate registered on the same day. Introduced in 1996, the register protects modern buildings by discouraging careless alteration while allowing continued use.
What earns a service building this recognition is the consistency of the design across the whole estate. The Spanish tiles and the care taken with the walls and openings show that even the storehouse was treated as part of a single composition. Seen together with the main house and the other outbuildings, it helps explain how a complete residential estate of the interwar Hanshin corridor was conceived and built as a unified work.
What to Look For
The practical thinking is visible in the details. Eaved windows open on the west and south sides, and a lean-to extension on the east forms the entrance. Around the base of the walls and under the eaves, the builders set ventilation openings, a sensible provision for a store of household goods in a humid climate. These features read clearly from the outside and reward a slow look.
Set against the two-story villa a few meters away, the storehouse shows how the estate maintained a single visual language at different scales. The gabled form is simpler than the main building's hipped roof, but the tile and the concrete construction match, so the smaller building belongs rather than intrudes.
The grounds are owned by Matsuyama University and used for student seminars and research, so this is not a site open to casual visitors every day. The exterior can be seen from the approach when the grounds are accessible, but anyone planning a close visit should contact the university in advance.
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Q&A
- What was stored here?
- The building was constructed as a storehouse for the household's everyday goods on the Nitta family estate.
- Why is a storehouse a cultural property?
- It was designed to the same standard as the villa, with matching Spanish tiles and careful detailing. It was registered as a model of design and as part of a unified estate.
- Who designed and owned it?
- The architect was Kigo Shichiro, son-in-law of the industrialist Nitta Chojiro who built the estate. It is now owned by Matsuyama University.
- Can I visit?
- The estate is used by the university and is not always open. Contact Matsuyama University in advance to confirm whether the grounds can be viewed on your date.
Basic Information
| Name | Matsuyama University Onzan Memorial Hall Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-12-31 Koshienguchi, Nishinomiya, Hyogo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (registered 2 March 2006; register no. 28-0218) |
| Built | 1928 (Showa 3) |
| Architect | Kigo Shichiro |
| Structure | Reinforced concrete, two stories; gabled roof in Spanish tile; floor area approx. 65 sq m; 8.1 m (ridge) by 3.6 m (depth) |
| Original use | Storehouse for household goods |
| Owner | Matsuyama University |
| Access / viewing | About 5 minutes on foot from JR Koshienguchi Station. Not a permanent museum; confirm viewing with the university in advance. |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties — Matsuyama University Onzan Memorial Hall Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005308
- Matsuyama University — Onzan Memorial Hall
- https://www.matsuyama-u.ac.jp/guide/campus/kinen/
- Nishinomiya-style — Matsuyama University Onzan Memorial Hall (former Nitta Residence)
- https://nishinomiya-style.jp/glossary/matsuyamakinekan
Last verified: 2026.07.02