The Grain Store at the Back of the Plot
The Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse (黒沢治助商店穀物蔵, Kurosawa Jisuke Shōten Kokumotsu-gura) is a 2-storey timber storehouse of the early Showa period (1926 onward) east of the No. 1 and No. 2 storehouses of Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten in Fukuoka, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture, built to hold grain and other food, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 November 2009.
It runs east to west, measures 13 by 5.5 metres and has a building area of 93 square metres. The gable roof is of sheet metal, with a Hisashi canopy on the north side. The building was altered in later Showa years.
Why It Was Registered: A Timber Store, Not an Earthen One
The Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for its contribution to the historic landscape. Despite the name, it is not a Dozo-zukuri earthen store like its neighbour but a timber-framed building.
Its walls are now finished in white lime plaster and its openings hung with iron doors. The Agency's description says "now", which suggests the finish came with later alterations. Where the earthen storehouses guard valuables behind thick clay, the grain store relies on a timber frame protected by plaster and iron.
What to Look For: Boards and Trusses
Inside, the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse is lined with boards, and the roof is carried on a Truss, a Western framing method that uses triangles to carry the roof. Its use here shows new building techniques reaching a merchant's storehouse in northern Iwate in the early Showa years.
The ground floor is a single open room; upstairs are a stair hall and three separate rooms. An open ground floor for loading and divided rooms above for sorting stock by kind would suit a store for food.
Seeing the Grain Storehouse
The Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse stands east of the No. 1 and No. 2 storehouses, deep in the plot, and cannot be seen from the street. No interior opening has been announced (checked 29 September 2026).
We found no occasion to see the boarded interior or the trusses. The site is private property, so please stay outside the gate.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Iwate
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse
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Q&A
- What was the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse used for?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it held grain and other food.
- How old is the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse?
- It dates from the early Showa period (1926 onward) and was altered in later Showa years.
- Is the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse an earthen storehouse?
- No. It is a 2-storey timber building, now finished in white lime plaster with iron doors on its openings.
- What is inside the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse?
- Board-lined walls and a trussed roof. The ground floor is one room; the upper floor has a stair hall and three rooms.
- Can I see the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse?
- No. It stands at the back of the plot, out of sight from the street, and no interior opening has been announced.
Basic Information
| Name | Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Grain Storehouse (黒沢治助商店穀物蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 6 Nakamachi, Fukuoka, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/11/2 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey timber building, sheet-metal roof, building area 93 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Interior not open (not visible from the street) |
References
- 黒沢治助商店穀物蔵 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007831
- 黒沢治助商店穀物蔵 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/173132
Last verified: 2026.09.29
