A shop storehouse still open for business
The Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse stands at 868 Ko in Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture, a two-storey Dozo-zukuri building of 1907 (Meiji 40) that was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1999 (Heisei 11). Its roof is Sangawara-buki and it covers 99 square meters.
It adjoins the three-storey main house on the east side. The ridge runs east to west and the entrance is on the long side, the Hirairi arrangement usual for shops. The frontage measures 5 and a half Ken, the depth 3 Ken, with a Geya one ken deep thrown forward over the shopfront.
The Arakawa family traded here under the name Arashichi and once brewed soy sauce. The Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse was their sales floor, and it still works as one: the ground floor is a liquor shop with stock on the shelves and customers coming through the door.
Why the upper front is almost all opening
The Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse carries registration number 08-0008 and was listed as a building that sets a standard of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs values it as evidence of how a Meiji-era shopping street looked.
The reason lies in the second floor. Apart from the shutter boxes at either end, the whole front is opening. Storehouse construction exists to keep fire out, and the rule is thick walls with the smallest possible windows. This building breaks that rule, but only on the side facing the street.
Light and visibility won on the shop front; the fireproof logic held everywhere else. That trade-off is legible in the elevation itself, which is rarer than it sounds.
The wide earth floor came from a road scheme
Chikusei City records that in 1931 (Showa 6) a road widening forced the removal of the shop parlour, and the earth floor was extended to take its place. What the street took from the front was absorbed by rearranging the inside.
Step in today and the Doma runs unusually deep for the width of the frontage. That depth is not an original dimension. It is the shape a highway scheme left behind.
Outside, looking west, the black plaster of the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse runs straight into the mortar wall of the main house. A storehouse of 1907 and a Western-style block of 1933 stand shoulder to shoulder with no gap between them.
Visiting the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse
Because the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse trades as a liquor shop, customers may enter the retail area during opening hours. The building is also a home, so nothing beyond the shop is accessible. Opening hours can change; check before travelling. Details confirmed on 5 September 2026.
Exterior photography from the street is fine. Ask first before photographing inside, and do not photograph other customers or the stock without permission.
Shimodate Station is about 700 meters away, roughly a 10 minute walk. Three lines meet there: the JR Mito Line, the Kanto Railway Joso Line and the Moka Railway. Drivers should use paid parking near the station rather than stopping on the old Route 50 outside.
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Q&A
- Can I go inside the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse?
- Yes, as a customer. The Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse operates as a liquor shop, so the retail area is open during business hours. The rest of the building is a private home and is not accessible.
- When was the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse built and registered?
- It was built in 1907 (Meiji 40) and entered the register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on 23 August 1999, under registration number 08-0008.
- Why is the second floor of the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse so open?
- Apart from the shutter boxes at each end, the upper front is almost entirely opening. Storehouse construction normally keeps windows small for fire safety, but the street elevation was given light and visibility instead.
- Why does the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse have such a deep earth floor?
- Chikusei City records that a road widening in 1931 (Showa 6) removed the shop parlour, and the earth floor was extended into the space it left. The depth is a later consequence, not an original dimension.
- How do I reach the Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse?
- It is about 700 meters from Shimodate Station, roughly 10 minutes on foot. The JR Mito Line, Kanto Railway Joso Line and Moka Railway all serve the station. Use paid parking nearby rather than the main road.
Basic Information
| Name | Arakawa Family Residence Shop Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 868 Ko, Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 1999 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Dozo-zukuri, 2 storeys, tile roof, building area 99 square meters |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Retail area open during shop hours. Living quarters closed |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database (Registered Tangible Cultural Property, Buildings)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001235
- Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education: Arakawa Family Residence, Main House and Four Others
- https://kyoiku.pref.ibaraki.jp/bunkazai/bunkazai-registered-6491/
- Chikusei City: Arakawa Family Residence (registration numbers 08-0007 to 08-0011)
- https://www.city.chikusei.lg.jp/kyouiku-bunka-sports/bunkazai/nationally-registered/page000272.html
Last verified: 2026.09.05