Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse

Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Warehouse: A Meiji-Era Storehouse in Makabe's Historic Townscape

Tucked along the eastern side of Ojin'ya-mae-dōri, the main historical street of Makabe in Sakuragawa City, Ibaraki Prefecture, the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Warehouse (塚本茶舗脇蔵) stands as a quiet testament to the commercial prosperity that once defined this remarkable town. Originally built as a bunko-gura (document and valuables storehouse) by the Iizuka family during the mid-Meiji period, this two-story earthen-walled structure has been remarkably well preserved and continues to serve a practical purpose today — storing tea leaves for the Tsukamoto family's tea business.

Registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 4, 2000, the warehouse is one of over 100 registered cultural properties in the Makabe district, which collectively form one of Japan's most impressive concentrations of historic architecture. For international visitors seeking an authentic encounter with Japan's merchant heritage far from the crowds of more famous destinations, the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Warehouse offers an intimate glimpse into the everyday life of a traditional Japanese commercial town.

History and Background

The story of the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Warehouse is intertwined with the broader history of Makabe, a town whose origins stretch back to the Warring States period (Sengoku jidai) of the 15th and 16th centuries. The Makabe clan established a castle town here, and after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the town layout was completed under Asano Nagamasa and his son Nagashige. During the Edo period, Makabe thrived as a key hub for cotton distribution, buying fabric from the Kansai region and selling it to merchants from the Tohoku region in the north. Monthly markets were held twelve times, generating enormous revenue for the town's merchants.

The property on which the warehouse stands originally belonged to the Iizuka family, who built the bunko-gura during the mid-Meiji period — likely in the 1880s or 1890s. This was a time of great transformation in Makabe: the silk reeling industry was emerging alongside the traditional textile trade, and prosperous merchants were investing in substantial fireproof storehouses to protect their valuables, documents, and merchandise. In the 1930s (Shōwa 10s era), the Tsukamoto family purchased the land and buildings from the Iizuka family. Originally wholesale salt merchants, the Tsukamatos pivoted to the tea trade after World War II, establishing the tea shop that continues to operate today.

Architectural Features and Cultural Significance

The Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Warehouse is a dozo-zukuri (earthen-walled) construction, a building technique perfected over centuries in Japan for fireproof storage. The structure is a two-story building with a total floor area of approximately 23 square meters. While relatively compact compared to the grand merchant storehouses found elsewhere in Makabe, its modest scale is entirely characteristic of a bunko-gura, which was designed not for bulk commodity storage but for the safekeeping of important documents, ledgers, and family treasures.

The thick earthen walls, typically composed of layers of mud plaster reinforced with bamboo lattice, provided excellent insulation and fire resistance — an essential quality in an era when devastating fires could sweep through densely packed wooden towns. The plastered exterior walls, heavy shuttered openings, and sturdy tile roof exemplify the practical elegance of traditional Japanese storehouse architecture.

The warehouse was registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property because it exemplifies the Meiji-era storehouse construction that defined Makabe's commercial landscape. Its good state of preservation and continued functional use — now housing tea leaves rather than documents — demonstrate the living heritage of Japan's registered cultural properties, where historic buildings remain integrated into daily life rather than serving merely as museum pieces.

Highlights and What to See

While the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Warehouse is a privately owned property and interior access may be limited, there is much to appreciate from the exterior and surrounding area.

The Warehouse Itself

The two-story dozo structure with its characteristic thick walls and fire-resistant construction can be admired from the street. Notice the careful plastering technique and the proportions typical of Meiji-period bunko-gura architecture. The building's continued use as a tea storage facility adds a layer of living authenticity that many purely preserved historic structures lack.

Ojin'ya-mae-dōri Street

The warehouse sits along one of Makabe's most historically significant thoroughfares. During the Edo period, this street was the commercial heart of the town, running past the administrative offices (jinya) and lined with merchant houses. Walking this street today, visitors can still sense the scale and rhythm of a prosperous Edo-era market town.

Makabe's Broader Townscape

The Tsukamoto warehouse is best appreciated as part of a walking tour through Makabe's extraordinary collection of historic buildings. The district boasts over 300 traditional structures, including misegura (combined shop-storehouses), earthen-walled warehouses, yakuimon gates, and Western-influenced buildings from the Taishō and early Shōwa periods. In 2010, the area was designated as a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings — the first such designation in Ibaraki Prefecture.

Makabe Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival)

Every February through early March, the town transforms for the Makabe Hina Matsuri, when over 160 homes and shops display antique hina dolls, some dating back to the Edo period. During this festival, many private storehouses and residences that are normally closed to visitors open their doors, offering rare opportunities to step inside historic kura warehouses and experience the warm hospitality of Makabe's residents.

Surrounding Area and Nearby Attractions

Makabe is rich in cultural attractions that complement a visit to the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Warehouse. The Makabe Denshokan (Folklore and History Museum), built on the site of the former Makabe honjin (official rest station), offers an excellent introduction to the town's history and architecture. The ruins of Makabe Castle, a designated National Historic Site located about one kilometer east of the town center, provide a glimpse into the medieval origins of the settlement.

For nature lovers, Mount Tsukuba rises to the south, offering hiking trails, cable car and ropeway rides, and panoramic views of the Kanto Plain. The mountain has been revered since ancient times and is home to Tsukuba Shrine, one of the region's most important Shinto sites. The Tsukuba Rinrin Road, a converted railway cycling path, offers a scenic way to explore the surrounding countryside.

The nearby city of Kasama is also worth a visit, known for its Kasama Inari Shrine (one of Japan's three great Inari shrines), its thriving pottery tradition, and the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum. Together, Makabe and Kasama offer a rewarding day trip or weekend excursion from Tokyo that combines architectural heritage, natural beauty, and traditional crafts.