Tono's First Concrete Building
The Former Tono Treasure Hall (Tono City Museum Shinmachi Storehouse) (旧遠野寶物館（遠野市立博物館新町収蔵庫）) is the first reinforced-concrete building in the Tono area of 1925 in Shinmachi, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on May 2, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey reinforced-concrete building with a building area of 96 square metres, altered in 1949 and around 1980; registration number 03-0088.
A Fire- and Earthquake-Proof Treasure Hall
The Former Tono Treasure Hall, now a storehouse of the Tono City Museum, stands in the centre of Tono (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It was built in reinforced concrete to resist earthquakes and fire.
Its walls are marked by geometric details such as recessed window surrounds, and inside each floor is a single room, a large space without interior columns carried only on the outer posts (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that it is the first reinforced-concrete building in the Tono area, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the geometric details of the walls, such as the recessed window surrounds (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Tono City and serves as a storehouse of the city museum (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on visiting was found.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1925 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Why reinforced concrete?
- To resist earthquakes and fire.
- What is the interior like?
- Each floor is a single room without interior columns.
- What is it used for now?
- As a storehouse of the Tono City Museum.
- When was the Former Tono Treasure Hall (Tono City Museum Shinmachi Storehouse) registered?
- On May 2, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Tono Treasure Hall (Tono City Museum Shinmachi Storehouse) (旧遠野寶物館（遠野市立博物館新町収蔵庫）) |
|---|---|
| Location | 230-2 Shinmachi, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/05/02 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, 2 storeys, 96 m² |
| Owner | Tono City |
| Public Access | No official visiting information (museum store) |
References
- Former Tono Treasure Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011434
Last verified: 2026.10.19