A storehouse that shapes the street
The south storehouse at Shokoji sits at the eastern edge of the compound, east of the priests' quarters, where the temple meets the public road. Built in 1918, it is larger than its northern partner at about thirty-nine square metres, running north to south under a gabled roof of pantiles laid as a separate cover.
Inside and on the gable ends the walls are finished in white plaster, the usual treatment for an earthen storehouse. What sets this building apart is what it does on the side that faces the street.
Torii-shaped window frames
On the east face, toward the road, the plaster is given a middle-coat finish, and the windows of the first and second floors are framed together in a shape resembling a torii gate. This is a piece of deliberate street architecture: the storehouse is not merely storing goods but composing the view along the road.
The south storehouse was registered as a national tangible cultural property in 2011 as a structure contributing to the historic landscape. The record singles out precisely this ordering of the streetscape as the reason the building matters.
A pair of storehouses
Seen with the north storehouse of 1914, the south storehouse completes a pair that anchors the eastern side of Shokoji and helps hold the townscape of old Matto. Together they show a temple treating even its service buildings as part of the public face of the street.
The storehouses are not open inside. The area of the temple that receives visitors lies on the west side, where the Chiyo-ni Hall, the Sofu-an tea hut and the poet's grave stand in the open and the relic hall can be entered for a small admission charge.
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Q&A
- Where is the south storehouse?
- It stands at the eastern edge of the compound, east of the priests' quarters, facing the public road; it was built in 1918.
- What is its most distinctive feature?
- On the street-facing east wall the first and second-floor windows are framed together in a torii-like shape, composing the view along the road.
- How does it compare to the north storehouse?
- It is larger, about thirty-nine square metres against fifteen, and slightly later, from 1918 rather than 1914.
- Can I go inside?
- No; the storehouses are service buildings and closed to visitors. The Chiyo-ni memorial area on the west side is open.
- Why was it registered?
- In 2011, as a structure contributing to the historic landscape, valued for the way it orders the streetscape.
Basic Information
| Name | Shokoji South Storehouse (Minami-dozo) |
|---|---|
| Location | Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Classification | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (national register) |
| Registration date | January 26, 2011 |
| Registration no. | 17-0215 |
| Registration criterion | Contributing to the nation's historic landscape |
| Era | 1918 (Taisho 7) |
| Structure | Two-storey earthen-walled storehouse, tiled roof, floor area 39 m² |
| Count | 1 building |
| Owner | Religious corporation Shokoji |
| Public access | Active temple; interior not routinely open. The Chiyo-ni Hall, Sofu-an tea hut and relic hall (small fee) are open to visitors. |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs National Cultural Properties Database
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008444
- Kaga no Chiyojo | Hakusan City
- https://www.city.hakusan.lg.jp/bunka/bunkashinko/1002773/1002775/index.html
- Shokoji | Urara Hakusanbito Tourism
- https://www.urara-hakusanbito.com/spot/detail_1100.html
- Shokoji Official Site
- https://shokoji.jp/
Last verified: 2026.07.11