The Goyashiki Rice Storehouse
Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse (郷屋敷（旧井上家住宅）米蔵, komegura) is an early Meiji-era storehouse on the street front of the Inoue family estate in Mure-cho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on October 12, 2001.
It stands east of center along the facade, with the Front Gate immediately to its west. The national database records a 2-storey dozo structure with a tiled roof and a building area of 32 square meters, dated to the early Meiji era, shortly after 1868.
A Storehouse Built on a Slant
The Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse is remarkable for its plan, which is a parallelogram rather than a rectangle. To follow those angles, the carpenters even shaped the posts with a rhombus-shaped cross-section, far more work than an ordinary right-angled storehouse requires.
It was registered as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce, and the official commentary describes the whole as elaborately made. The roof is gabled with hongawara tiles. The walls have a base of Namako-kabe, tiles set in a lattice of raised plaster joints, with white Shikkui above, and the high windows on the south side are closed with iron shutters, a sturdy fit-out for a store of rice.
What to Look For
From the road, start with the namako-kabe at the foot of the Goyashiki Rice Storehouse, where the diagonal grid of plaster joints gives the white wall a firm base. The iron shutters on the upper windows speak of a building designed against fire and theft.
The parallelogram plan is hard to spot from the front. Compare the corners at the gable ends and you may see that the walls do not meet at right angles. The rhombus posts are part of the internal frame and cannot be seen from outside.
Visiting the Rice Storehouse
The south side of the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse is visible from the road. The Goyashiki website says its street-side storehouses serve as a tea room, shop and waiting area, but it does not say which use belongs to the Rice Storehouse. Ask the staff if you would like to see inside.
Mind the traffic on the prefectural road when taking pictures. Hours and directions are on the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) group page.
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Q&A
- When was the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse built?
- In the early Meiji era, shortly after 1868. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2001.
- Why is the plan of the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse unusual?
- It is a parallelogram, and the posts were made rhombus-shaped in section to match, which demanded far more carpentry than usual.
- How are the walls and windows of the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse finished?
- Namako-kabe tile work at the base, white plaster above, and iron shutters on the high south windows.
- How large is the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse?
- It is a 2-storey dozo storehouse with a gabled hongawara roof and a building area of 32 square meters.
- Can the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse be seen from outside?
- Its south face is visible from the road. The website does not mention interior access, so ask the restaurant.
Basic Information
| Name | Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 1987 Omachi, Mure-cho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2001 (Heisei 13) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey dozo storehouse, tiled roof, building area 32 square meters |
| Owner | Not disclosed (no owner listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | South face visible from the road; ask Goyashiki about the interior |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Cultural Properties Database: Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) Rice Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002451
- Goyashiki official website: About Goyashiki
- https://goyashiki.co.jp/about/
Last verified: 2026.09.16
