A Modern Face Beside the Old Shop
The Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse (黒沢治助商店倉庫, Kurosawa Jisuke Shōten Sōko) is a 2-storey timber warehouse of the early Showa period (1926 onward) at the front of the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten plot, south of the store, in Fukuoka, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 November 2009.
It is a long building, 23 metres long on an east-west axis, with a building area of 129 square metres and a sheet-metal roof. It was altered in later Showa years.
Why It Was Registered: A Deliberate Contrast
The Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs highlights the vivid contrast it makes with the traditional design of the store next door.
The store is a timber townhouse with a pantiled gable roof and plastered eaves. The warehouse walls are finished in washed artificial stone: cement mixed with crushed stone is applied, then rinsed before it fully sets so the stone grains stand out. The finish was widely used in the early Showa years. Side by side at the front of the plot, the two buildings show a timber merchant open to new materials.
What to Look For: Three Iron Doors
The upper front of the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse, 6.4 metres wide, is divided into three bays by pilasters raised from the wall, and each bay is hung with an iron door, giving an orderly row of three.
The ground floor has a canopy and wide openings closed by copper-sheathed shutters. Goods could be moved through the broad lower openings while the iron doors above guarded against fire. No record has been found of what the warehouse held, but for a dealer in timber and charcoal, wide openings would have suited the handling of bulky stock.
Seeing the Warehouse
The Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse stands at the front of the plot, south of the store, so its exterior can be seen from the street. No interior opening has been announced (checked 29 September 2026).
From the far side of the road, the plastered townhouse store and the stone-faced warehouse can be seen together, which is the best way to understand the contrast the Agency describes. 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 Warehouse
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Q&A
- How old is the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse?
- It dates from the early Showa period (1926 onward) and was altered in later Showa years.
- What are the walls of the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse made of?
- They are finished in washed artificial stone, a cement render with crushed stone rinsed to expose the grains.
- What does the upper front of the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse look like?
- The 6.4-metre front is divided by pilasters into three bays, each with an iron door.
- How big is the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse?
- It is a 2-storey timber building 23 metres long east to west, with a building area of 129 square metres.
- Can I see the Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse from the street?
- Yes, the exterior faces the front of the plot beside the store. No interior opening has been announced.
Basic Information
| Name | Kurosawa Jisuke Shoten Warehouse (黒沢治助商店倉庫) |
|---|---|
| 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 129 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Interior not open (exterior visible from the street) |
References
- 黒沢治助商店倉庫 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007832
- 黒沢治助商店店舗 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007827
Last verified: 2026.09.29
