Two Storehouses under One Roof
The Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses (西尾家住宅部屋蔵・中蔵, Nishio-ke Jūtaku Heyagura Nakagura) form a late Edo-period, two-storey earthen storehouse west of the main house and south of the teahouse in Oyamakami, Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 July 2004.
The building runs north to south and measures 5 ken by 2 ken, a building area of 40 square metres, under a gabled roof of Sangawara-buki tiles. As the double name suggests, it combines two storehouses, the Heyagura and the Nakagura, in a single structure.
New Storehouse 1 continues the same north-south line to the south, so a row of storehouses stands along the west side of the Nishio main house.
Why It Was Registered
The Heyagura and Nakagura storehouses were registered as a model of architectural design, the only structure at the Nishio compound besides the teahouse to be listed on that criterion.
The point is the roof. Structurally these are two separate Dozo-zukuri storehouses, but a single Okiyane roof spans both. An okiyane is a roof set on top of the earthen body with a gap between them, generally understood as a fire precaution: if the roof burns, the walls and contents below can survive. Placed over both stores, it makes them read from outside as one tidy building.
What to Look At
Two rooms, two stores
Inside there are two rooms, and each is a storehouse in its own right. The northern room served as a tool and utensil store. The shared okiyane roof is what binds them together.
Two doors under the eaves
On the east side an earthen lean-to roof, a Tsuchibisashi, shelters two doorways, one for each store. Goods could be moved in and out under it even in the rain.
Heyagura and Nakagura
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the northern room was the tool store but does not say which half is the Heyagura and which the Nakagura, and no source explaining the names has been found. The Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses are best taken simply as two stores sharing one roof.
Visiting
The storehouse stands well inside the Nishio compound, behind the forecourt wall and the teahouse, and as of October 2026 there was no notice of public access. It is hard to see from the old San'in Road. Please do not enter the grounds.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When were the Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses built?
- They date from the late Edo period and were registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 July 2004.
- Why does the Nishio storehouse have two names?
- It is two structurally separate storehouses under a single okiyane roof. Inside there are two rooms, and the northern one was used as a tool store.
- How large are the Heyagura and Nakagura storehouses?
- The building is a two-storey earthen storehouse with a gabled tile roof, 5 ken by 2 ken, with a building area of 40 square metres.
- What should I look for on the Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses?
- The single okiyane roof that unites the two stores, and the two doorways side by side under the lean-to roof on the east side.
- Can I visit the Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses?
- They stand inside a private compound with no notice of public access as of October 2026, and are hard to see from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses (西尾家住宅部屋蔵・中蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 699 Oyamakami, Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/7/23 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 40 square metres |
| Owner | Private (owner field blank in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (hard to see from the road) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004276
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nishio Family Residence Heyagura and Nakagura Storehouses (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/180496
Last verified: 2026.10.08
