The Middle of Three
The Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse (島中家住宅中蔵, Shimanaka-ke Jūtaku Nakagura) is an earthen-walled storehouse built in the early Meiji era, between 1868 and 1882, in Oshokita 2-chome, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2021.
Three storehouses line the northern edge of the Shimanaka homestead: from west to east, the inner storehouse attached to the main house, this one, and the east storehouse. Naka means middle, and the name describes exactly where it stands, free-standing just east of the inner storehouse.
It is a single-storey dozo-zukuri building of 2 and a half by 1 and a half bays, covering 15 square metres, so it is the middle one in size as well.
Why It Was Registered
The middle storehouse received registration number 28-0755 in the 99th round of national registrations, dated 2021/6/24, for contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse as one section of a continuous row of storehouses. On its own it is a modest single-storey store; standing between the inner and east storehouses, it completes the large, medium and small sequence that defines the back of the property.
What to Look For
Rafters drawn in plaster
The gabled kirizuma-zukuri roof carries hongawara tiles of alternating round and flat pieces. Under the eaves, the plaster is carried all the way up and modelled so that each taruki rafter shows as a raised shape. The timber is sealed inside the clay for fire protection while its outline stays visible. It is the first detail to look for on the Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse.
Boards and a north window
The lower walls are clad in vertical boards, and a single window is set in the centre of the north wall, on the opposite side from the door.
A canopy on curved brackets
The doorway is on the south side, with a heavy sliding door and a pair of sliding lattice doors. A small canopy shelters it, carried on mochiokuri brackets cut from naturally curved timber. The east storehouse next door has the same doorway and canopy, but only here does the Agency mention the curved brackets. Inside is a single room.
Visiting
The middle storehouse is part of a private home and is not open; as of October 2026 we found no announcement of open days. We have not checked how the north side looks from outside the property. Please stay off the grounds and respect the residents' privacy.
A photograph taken from the north-west is published in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database.
Q&A
- When was the Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the early Meiji era, between 1868 and 1882. It was registered in 2021.
- Can I visit the Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse?
- No. It is part of a private home and, as of October 2026, there were no announced public openings. The national database has a photograph of the exterior.
- Why is it called the Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse?
- Naka means middle. It is the central one of three storehouses standing in a row along the north side of the property, and it is also the middle one in size.
- What details should I look for on the Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse?
- The rafter shapes modelled in plaster under the eaves, and the curved timber brackets that carry the canopy over the south doorway.
- How big is the Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse?
- It is a single-storey building of 2 and a half by 1 and a half bays, with a building area of 15 square metres.
Basic Information
| Name | Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse (島中家住宅中蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 126 Oshokita 2-chome, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/6/24 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Dozo-zukuri, single storey, tiled roof, building area 15 square metres (2 and a half by 1 and a half bays) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (private residence) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence; no openings announced) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013852
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shimanaka Family Residence Middle Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/544091
Last verified: 2026.10.08
