What Is the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse?
The Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse (小田垣家住宅蔵, Odagaki-ke Jūtaku Kura) is a two-storey earthen storehouse from the mid-Meiji era on the Odagaki Shoten property in Tatemachi, Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 2, 2007. It stands against the south side of the miso storehouse, its ridge running north to south.
The Dozo-zukuri building measures 7.8 by 4.9 meters and covers 47 square meters. The gabled roof sits over walls finished in white lime plaster, and a lean-to eave, or Geya, shelters the west side, where the door opens toward the north end.
Why the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse Was Registered
The Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse shares the registration criterion of the other nine Odagaki buildings: contribution to the historic landscape. Its white walls and tiled roof are part of the row of working buildings that stands behind the shop.
Two details stand out in the agency's description. The first is the roof. Where the shop, tatami room and tea room use lighter pantiles, this storehouse is roofed in Hongawarabuki, the heavier system of flat and round tiles laid in alternating rows. Of the ten Odagaki descriptions, this is the only one that records it, so the choice sets this building apart.
Inside the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse
The second detail is the finish of the interior. Every floorboard and beam inside the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse has been smoothed with a plane. Storehouse interiors were often left rough-hewn; here nothing visible was left that way. The description does not say why, whether for the goods kept inside or simply for the standing of the house.
The roof framing is simple, with short posts set on the beams to carry the purlins. The combination is a clear one: a plastered fireproof shell outside, planed timber within.
The lean-to on the west gives a sheltered spot in front of the door, which opens toward the miso storehouse and the workshop to the north.
Visiting the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse
The Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse stands at the back of the property and is not open to the public (checked September 2026); from the street it is largely hidden by the shop and the wall.
Odagaki Shoten's occasional reservation-only tour includes a walk through its historic buildings, but the listing does not name them, so ask when booking if you hope to see this storehouse. Directions and shop hours are on the Odagaki Shoten page.
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Q&A
- When was the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse to the mid-Meiji era, later than the miso storehouse on its north side.
- Can I visit the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse?
- The Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse is not open to the public (checked September 2026). A reservation-only tour includes some buildings, so ask in advance which ones.
- What is special about the roof of the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse?
- It is roofed in hongawarabuki, alternating flat and round tiles. It is the only one of the ten Odagaki buildings described this way.
- How is the inside of the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse finished?
- The floorboards and beams of the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse are all hand-planed, and short posts on the beams carry the purlins.
- When was the Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse registered?
- It was registered on October 2, 2007, under registration number 28-0287.
Basic Information
| Name | Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 19 Tatemachi, Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture (listed as Sasayama City in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered October 2, 2007 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey dozo-zukuri, hongawarabuki tile roof, building area 47 square meters; 7.8 meters by 4.9 meters |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Not open to the public |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 小田垣家住宅蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006352
- Cultural Heritage Online: Odagaki Family Residence Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/152955
- Odagaki Shoten official site: Experience Tamba's Black Soybean Heritage tour
- https://www.odagaki.co.jp/news/4237/
Last verified: 2026.09.28