What Is the Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1?
The Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1 (旧菅野家住宅土蔵一, Kyū Kanno-ke Jūtaku Dozō Ichi) is a storehouse built in 1909 in Setamai, Sumita Town, Iwate Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 May 2017. It stands behind the annex at the eastern rear of the Kanno property, its ridge running east to west.
It is a 2-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse with a tiled roof and a building area of 49 square metres, and it was renovated in the mid-Showa period (1946–1965).
Registration and Structure
Storehouse No. 1 was registered, as number 03-0094, for its contribution to the historic landscape; the Agency for Cultural Affairs sees it as one of the buildings that shape the rear of the estate.
It measures 9.1 metres along the ridge (Ketayuki) and 5.5 metres across (Harima). The roof is a simple Kirizuma-zukuri gable, the entrance is in a gable end in the Tsumairi manner, and the roof is an Okiyane, built as a separate cover over the earthen body. Inside, each floor is a single undivided room. The roof is carried on a King post truss, a Western frame of a central post and diagonal struts forming a triangle, which had found its way into a Meiji merchant's storehouse in rural Iwate.
What to Look For: the Windows of Storehouse No. 1
The thing to notice on the Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1 is where the windows are. Because the ridge runs east to west, the east and west walls are the gable ends and the north and south walls are the long sides. The gable ends each have two windows on the ground floor; the long sides each have one window on the upper floor. The walls that carry the windows switch as you go up a storey.
Every window has a pair of hinged earthen shutters, thick clay-covered doors that were closed against fire to protect what was inside. Walk right round the building and the height and number of openings change from face to face.
The Agency's description ends by saying the storehouse forms part of the landscape of the site. Tucked behind the annex, it is hard to see from the street, but it is one link in the chain of storehouses at the back of the Kanno plot.
Visiting the Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1
Storehouse No. 1 lies deep in the Machiya Setamai-eki grounds, east of the annex. Neither the town nor the facility says building by building whether the interiors are open, and published information does not say which storehouse houses the gallery on the courtyard.
Ask at reception on an opening day whether you can walk to the back of the plot and look inside. The town's information says nothing about photography either, so check that at the same time. Opening hours and directions are on the Former Kanno Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When was the Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1 built?
- In 1909. It was renovated in the mid-Showa period (1946–1965) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 May 2017.
- How big is the Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1?
- It is 9.1 metres long and 5.5 metres wide, 2 storeys high, with a building area of 49 square metres. Each floor is a single room.
- What is unusual about the windows of Storehouse No. 1 at the Former Kanno Family Residence?
- The east and west gable ends have two windows each on the ground floor, while the north and south sides have one each on the upper floor. All have hinged earthen shutters.
- What kind of roof does the Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1 have?
- A gabled okiyane roof set over the earthen body, framed with a Western king post truss.
- Can visitors go inside the Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1?
- Published information does not say. Ask at the Machiya Setamai-eki reception on an opening day (closed Wednesdays).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1 (旧菅野家住宅土蔵一) |
|---|---|
| Location | 13-1 Setamai-eki, Setamai, Sumita-cho, Kesen-gun, Iwate Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2017 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof; 9.1 metres by 5.5 metres; building area 49 square metres |
| Owner | Sumita Town |
| Public Access | Within the Machiya Setamai-eki grounds (closed Wednesdays); ask at reception about the interior |
References
- Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1 (Agency for Cultural Affairs database)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011440
- Former Kanno Family Residence Storehouse No. 1 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/246691
- Machiya Setamai-eki community facility (Sumita Town, in Japanese)
- https://www.town.sumita.iwate.jp/docs/2016051300011/
Last verified: 2026.09.30
