A Meiji Storehouse on Makabe's Old Main Street
The Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse (塚本茶舗脇蔵, Tsukamoto Chaho Wakigura) is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse of the mid-Meiji period in Makabe, Sakuragawa City, Ibaraki Prefecture, which in 2000 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a tiled roof and a building area of 23 square metres; it was registered as a model of design. Ibaraki Prefecture lists a private owner.
Ibaraki Prefecture places the tea shop on the east side of Gojinya-mae-dori, once the centre of Makabe.
History
According to the prefecture, the Iizuka family had its residence here, and the Tsukamoto family bought the land and buildings in the second decade of the Showa era. The Tsukamotos first dealt in salt wholesale and opened a tea shop after the war.
The surviving side storehouse was built by the Iizukas as a store for books and documents and existed by the mid-Meiji period, the prefecture says. It is now used to store tea.
What to Look For
The Agency describes a gabled building with a pantiled roof, 3.5 bays by 2 bays, with two full storeys.
Double-leaf doors guard the entrance in the gable end and the upper windows, and the timber frame uses fine wood; the whole is carefully built. The thick doors show the storehouse's defences against fire.
Ibaraki Prefecture notes that although small, it is well preserved.
Visiting the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse
The Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse is privately owned and still used as a tea store, so the interior is not open. The exterior can be seen from the street; please do not disturb the business.
Questions about the cultural property can be sent to Sakuragawa City.
Q&A
- When was the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse built?
- It existed by the mid-Meiji period, built by the Iizuka family as a document store.
- When was the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 4 December 2000.
- What are the features of the Tsukamoto storehouse?
- A gabled, pantiled two-storey storehouse with double-leaf doors at the entrance and upper windows.
- How is the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse used today?
- It is used to store tea.
- Can I go inside the Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse?
- No; it is a private working store.
Basic Information
| Name | Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse (塚本茶舗脇蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 213-1 Makabe, Makabe-cho, Sakuragawa City, Ibaraki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2000/12/4 (Heisei 12) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey earthen-walled storehouse, tiled roof, building area 23 square metres |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Interior closed; exterior visible from the street |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001997
- Cultural Heritage Online: Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/115077
- Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education: Tsukamoto Tea Shop Side Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kyoiku.pref.ibaraki.jp/bunkazai/bunkazai-registered-6562/
Last verified: 2026.09.28