The oldest building on the plot
The Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri building of 1868 (Meiji 1) standing at the back of the Arakawa compound at 868 Ko, Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1999 (Heisei 11). The roof is Sangawara-buki and Kirizuma-zukuri; the footprint is 50 square meters.
Its ridge runs north to south and it is entered from the gable end, the Tsumairi arrangement. It measures 4 Ken along the ridge by 3 Ken across. The Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse sits directly behind the annex, and the annex corridor doubles as the apron in front of its doors, so storehouse and reception room connect along a single passage.
Of the five listed buildings here this is the earliest, predating the shop storehouse on the street by some 40 years and the Western-style main house by 65.
Listed as something hard to reproduce
Registration number 08-0010 was given to the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse under the criterion of a building that would be difficult to recreate. Three of the five buildings here, the main house, the shop storehouse and the annex, were listed instead as buildings that set a standard of design. Only this storehouse and the stone storehouse fall under the other heading.
The distinction is about workmanship. Walls built up in thick plaster coats, and a black Shikkui finish over them, need craftsmen and materials that are no longer easy to assemble. The Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse was valued for the making rather than for the look.
Pine, crane and a pair of black doors
On its south face the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse carries heavy double doors finished in black lime plaster. They swing outward from the centre, and the glossy surface reads more like lacquer than like plaster.
The doors are not the reason to look. The wall facing the inner reception room is finished with a relief of pine and crane, worked in kote-e, a plasterer's technique in which the design is modelled up with a trowel in wet lime. The Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education records this finish as rare within the prefecture.
Storehouses are not built to be admired. Putting a picture on the one face visible from the guest room says something about which side of the building people were expected to see.
That side faces inward. From the street there is nothing of it to be seen.
Visiting the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse
The Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse remains part of a private home and is not open. It stands deep in the plot, invisible from the road, so there is currently no way to see the plaster relief in person. Photographs are available through the Agency for Cultural Affairs database.
Do not enter the grounds to photograph it, and do not attempt to look in from adjoining private land.
From the north exit of Shimodate Station it is a 10 minute walk, about 700 meters. The station is served by the JR Mito Line, the Kanto Railway Joso Line and the Moka Railway. The Culture and Sports Division of Chikusei City handles enquiries about access. Details confirmed on 5 September 2026.
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Q&A
- Can I see the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- Not in person. The Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse is inside a private home and cannot be seen from the street. Photographs are published in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database.
- When was the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse built?
- In 1868 (Meiji 1), making it the oldest of the five listed buildings on the plot. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 August 1999, number 08-0010.
- What is the plaster relief on the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- The wall facing the inner reception room is finished with a pine and crane design in kote-e, a technique in which a plasterer models the picture up in wet lime with a trowel. The prefectural board of education calls the finish rare in Ibaraki.
- Why is the listing criterion for the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse different?
- This building and the stone storehouse were listed as works that would be difficult to recreate, while the main house, shop storehouse and annex were listed as buildings that set a standard of design.
- How far is the Arakawa Family Residence Inner Storehouse from the station?
- About 700 meters from Shimodate Station, roughly 10 minutes on foot from the north exit. The JR Mito Line, Kanto Railway Joso Line and Moka Railway serve the station.
Basic Information
| Name | Arakawa Family Residence Inner 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 50 square meters |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Closed to the public and not visible from the street |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database (Registered Tangible Cultural Property, Buildings)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001237
- 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