What Is the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
The Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse (魚橋家住宅内蔵, Uohashi-ke Jūtaku Uchigura) is a clothing storehouse standing behind and to the west of the detached room at the back of the Uohashi Family Residence in Idei, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture; it was built in 1916 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2014.
It is a two-story Dozo-zukuri earthen-walled storehouse with a tiled roof, measuring 5.9 by 3.8 meters, with a building area of 28 square meters. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a store for clothing and similar goods. Its address, 88 Idei, is a separate lot from the main house at 24 Itokujimachi.
Why the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse Was Registered
The Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
An uchigura, or inner storehouse, is one placed within the household's own quarters rather than out by the work areas, and it usually held the family's more valued possessions, such as clothing and heirlooms, while a separate outer storehouse took everyday tools. The Uohashi household followed that pattern, building this small clothing store apart from its larger tool storehouse, and completing the rear of the compound in about 1916, the same time as the detached room. It is a good example of how townhouse families divided their storage by purpose.
What to Look for at the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse
The Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse runs east to west under a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of Hongawarabuki tiles. Its door is on the east face, sheltered by a lean-to Geya roof of lighter Sangawara-buki tiles.
The walls are finished in Shikkui plaster, with a thickened band called a Hachimaki running under the eaves. What rewards a closer look is how each face is treated differently. Only the east face, where the door is, has a Namako-kabe dado of square tiles set in raised plaster joints, along with a window on the upper floor. The lower walls on the other three sides are simply covered in vertical boards. The face people approach gets the more formal finish; the sides few people see are protected with plain timber.
Visiting the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse
The Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse stands at the back of a private property, behind even the detached room, and is not open to the public. From the Nozato road it is hidden by the main house and the detached room. The tiled east face and the lean-to over the door can be seen in the photographs on the Agency for Cultural Affairs database.
Directions to the property are on the Uohashi Family Residence page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse built?
- In 1916. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 25, 2014.
- What was the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse used for?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it stored clothing and similar goods.
- How large is the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- It is a two-story earthen-walled storehouse measuring 5.9 by 3.8 meters, with a building area of 28 square meters.
- How are the walls of the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse finished?
- In white plaster with a band under the eaves; the east face has a namako-kabe tiled dado, and the other faces have vertical boards on the lower walls.
- Can visitors see the Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- No. It is at the back of a private property, not open to the public, and not visible from the street.
Basic Information
| Name | Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 88 Idei, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2014 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 28 m² (5.9 m by 3.8 m) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (inside a private property) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010012
- Himeji City: Uohashi Family Residence Inner Storehouse (in Japanese)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001842.html
- Himeji City: List of Registered Cultural Properties (in Japanese)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001691.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
