What Is the Sendaiya Warehouse?
The Sendaiya Warehouse (仙臺屋倉庫, Sendaiya Sōko) is an 1897 timber storage building on Chuo-dori in Tono, Iwate Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on July 8, 2008.
It stands at the far northern end of the Sendaiya lot and closes the long line of buildings that begins at the street. With a gabled metal-sheet roof and a building area of 112 m², the Sendaiya Warehouse is the second largest of the six registered buildings, after the store and main house.
A 17-Meter Building Running North to South
The Sendaiya Warehouse is 17 m long and 5.7 m deep, with its ridge running north to south along the length of the narrow lot.
At the northern end the roof steps down by one level, and a Hisashi eave wraps around the south and east sides. The step breaks up what would otherwise be a single long roofline. The eaves on the south and east, facing the rest of the compound, would have given shelter for loading and unloading.
Rough Clay Walls and Three Compartments
The walls of the Sendaiya Warehouse are Ōkabe, with the posts buried inside the wall, and they are left with an arakabe finish, the first coarse coat of clay that normally sits beneath the smoother layers. Unlike the storehouses with their white Shikkui plaster, the building shows the color and texture of raw earth.
Inside, it is divided into three compartments. Only the southern one has a mezzanine floor; the other two are open to the roof as Fukinuke spaces.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs database is inconsistent about the number of stories: its structure field says two-story timber, while its description calls the building single-story. If the description is right, this is a single-story building with a mezzanine in one section.
Why the Sendaiya Warehouse Was Registered
The Sendaiya Warehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. At the back of the compound, it completes the sequence of shop, courtyard, storehouses and work yard that gives Sendaiya its depth.
If the plastered storehouses were built to protect valuable goods, the long clay-walled warehouse was a working building for everyday stock and tools. Built in 1897, it is the last of the dated Meiji-era buildings at Sendaiya.
Seeing the Sendaiya Warehouse
The Sendaiya Warehouse stands at the very back of a private compound, and no public opening was announced as of September 2026. It cannot be seen from the street. There is no official guidance on photography; please respect the residents' privacy. Directions to the compound are on the Sendaiya page.
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Q&A
- When was the Sendaiya Warehouse built?
- In 1897.
- How big is the Sendaiya Warehouse?
- It is 17 m long and 5.7 m deep, running north to south, with a building area of 112 m².
- How are the walls of the Sendaiya Warehouse finished?
- They are okabe walls with the posts concealed, left with a rough arakabe clay finish rather than the white plaster of the storehouses.
- What is inside the Sendaiya Warehouse?
- Three compartments. Only the southern one has a mezzanine floor; the other two are open to the roof.
- Can visitors see the Sendaiya Warehouse?
- It is at the back of a private compound, and no public opening was announced as of September 2026. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 8, 2008.
Basic Information
| Name | Sendaiya Warehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 501-3 Chuo-dori, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2008 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 112 m², 17 m x 5.7 m (timber, metal-sheet roof) |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (inside a private compound) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 仙臺屋倉庫
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007169
- Cultural Heritage Online: 仙臺屋倉庫
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/144431
- Tono City: Protection of Cultural Properties (list of designated and registered properties)
- https://www.city.tono.iwate.jp/index.cfm/48,14077,303,html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
