About the Seishikan Miso Room
The Seishikan (Former Tomita Family Residence) Miso Room (静思館（旧冨田家住宅）味噌部屋, Seishikan Misobeya) is a small single-story plastered storehouse built in 1934 in Ueno, Inagawa Town, Hyogo Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2004.
It stands on the west side of Tomita Kumasaku's estate, north of the Charcoal Room, and is the northernmost of the three service sheds lined up there: Tool Room, Charcoal Room and Miso Room. It is 2 ken long and 10 shaku (about 3 m) deep, with a building area of 11 m², under a gabled pantile roof. The name suggests it held the household's homemade miso, the fermented soybean paste.
Why the Seishikan Miso Room was registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the Seishikan Miso Room for its contribution to the historic landscape, noting that its design blends with the Tool Room and the Charcoal Room.
That blending took some effort. The Tool Room and Charcoal Room are timber sheds with yellow plaster walls; the Miso Room is a plastered storehouse with white walls. Its builders pulled it into line through the details of its door and canopy, so the three read as one row along the west side. That is the thing to look for here.
What to look for at the Seishikan Miso Room
The Seishikan Miso Room sits on a cut-stone base. Its walls are white Shikkui plaster above vertical board cladding. A storehouse wall packed thick with clay keeps the temperature inside steady, a sensible choice for a room where miso was left to mature.
Walk round to the east gable for the door. The plank door is painted red-brown with Bengara, and above it a small tiled canopy rests on bracket beams projecting from the wall. Red door on white wall: the color links it to the bengara timber of the Charcoal Room and Tool Room next door. Note too that the Agency records the plan in two different units, ken for the length and shaku for the depth.
Visiting the Seishikan Miso Room
Go through the Service Gate into the back yard and walk past the Tool Room and Charcoal Room; the Seishikan Miso Room is at the north end. Its door faces east, so view it from the yard side. The town does not say whether the interior is open.
Opening days and access are on the Seishikan page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Seishikan (Former Tomita Family Residence) Miso Room
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- Where is the Seishikan Miso Room?
- On the west side of the estate, north of the Charcoal Room, at the end of the row of three service sheds.
- How big is the Seishikan Miso Room?
- It is a single-story storehouse 2 ken by 10 shaku, with a building area of 11 m².
- How does the Seishikan Miso Room differ from its neighbors?
- The Tool Room and Charcoal Room are timber with yellow plaster; the Miso Room is a white plastered storehouse, matched to them by its bengara door and bracketed tiled canopy.
- Why is the Seishikan Miso Room a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2004 for its contribution to the historic landscape, its design blending with the Tool Room and Charcoal Room along the west side.
- Can I see inside the Seishikan Miso Room?
- The town does not state whether it is open. The exterior can be seen from the back yard; ask the caretaker on the day.
Basic Information
| Name | Seishikan (Former Tomita Family Residence) Miso Room (静思館（旧冨田家住宅）味噌部屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 22 Ueno Machimawari, Inagawa Town, Kawabe District, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2004 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2 ken × 10 shaku (ketayuki × harima), building area 11 m² |
| Owner | Inagawa Town |
| Public Access | Open to the public as Seishikan (free; closed Mondays) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 静思館（旧冨田家住宅）味噌部屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004165
- Inagawa Town: Inagawa Town Seishikan
- https://www.town.inagawa.lg.jp/soshiki/1036/gyomu/1/seishikan/6710.html
- Inagawa Town: Seishikan leaflet (PDF)
- https://www.town.inagawa.lg.jp/material/files/group/37/seishikan2.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
