Kamebishi No. 14 Warehouse
Between the No. 3 and No. 10 warehouses, running north-south along the eastern edge, stands the No. 14 warehouse. It is a single-story gabled building of about 9.8 by 5.2 meters, tiled in formal hongawara. The Okada family records identify it as the 'five-bay store' raised in the fourth month of 1801, one of the soy stores that carry the founding era.
In its Edo-period heyday Hikita held around ten soy and sake brewers; of those, only Kamebishi, founded by the Okada family in 1753, survives today. Now in its eighteenth generation, it is the single brewery in Japan that still makes koji on woven mats.
At 9.8 by 5.2 meters, gabled and formally tiled, it closely matches the No. 11 warehouse in scale and form. The 'five-bay store' noted as raised in the fourth month of 1801 is thought to be this building. The two nearly identical stores lined along the eastern edge show how founding-era warehouses were built.
Why It Matters
Recorded as raised around 1801, it is among the oldest of Kamebishi's eighteen registered buildings. With the No. 11 warehouse of 1807, it counts as a store from soon after the founding, its date supported by the family's own record.
Making koji on mushiro mats is slow and labor-intensive, which is why nearly every brewery mechanized it. Kamebishi kept the older way: the inoculated soybeans and wheat rest on woven mats for about three days, the mats balancing moisture and heat so the koji develops evenly.
What to Notice
Red-ochre walls under grey tile define the Kamebishi compound. The bengara finish, extended across the buildings on both sides of the road, ties the whole site into one continuous streetscape that is unlike anywhere else in Hikita.
Closely resembling the No. 11 warehouse, it stands wedged between the No. 3 and No. 10 stores. Two buildings of nearly the same size, side by side, show what kind of warehouses the young Kamebishi was putting up. Walking the eastern edge, compare their positions and dimensions.
The shop and tea house welcome visitors for soy sauce, moromi, sweets and udon, but the brewery itself is a working, privately owned site, and most buildings cannot be entered. Opening days and hours change through the year, especially during the brewing season, so plan around current information.
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Q&A
- What is the Kamebishi No. 14 Warehouse?
- It is one of eighteen buildings at the Kamebishi soy sauce brewery in Hikita, Higashikagawa, Kagawa Prefecture, all registered as Tangible Cultural Properties in 2003. This building dates to the late Edo period (raised in Kyowa 2, 1801, by family record) and served as a founding-era soy storehouse recorded as raised around 1801.
- What is the mushiro-koji method that Kamebishi keeps?
- It is a way of making koji by spreading inoculated steamed soybeans and roasted wheat on mats woven from rush or rice straw for a few days. The mats regulate moisture and even out the temperature. Kamebishi is the only brewery in Japan that still uses it.
- Can visitors go inside this building?
- This is a working brewery and private company property, and most buildings, including this one, are not open inside. The shop and tea house in other buildings on the site welcome visitors for soy sauce, moromi and udon; hours change with the season, so check before visiting.
- When and why was it designated?
- It was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on 19 September 2003 under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the nation. The listing recognizes it as part of the historic brewery compound whose red-ochre walls define the Hikita streetscape.
Basic Information
| Name | Kamebishi No. 14 Warehouse (かめびし十四号蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2174 Hikita, Higashikagawa, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), No. 37-0167 |
| Registered | Registered 19 September 2003 |
| Criterion | Contributing to the historic landscape of the nation |
| Date | late Edo period (raised in Kyowa 2, 1801, by family record) |
| Structure | single-story timber structure, tiled roof, building area 50 m2 |
| Count | 1 building |
| Owner | Kamebishi (limited partnership) |
| Access | Working brewery and private property; most buildings not open inside. Shop and tea house on site; hours vary by season. |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁）
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003610
- かめびし屋（東かがわ市観光情報サイト）
- https://higashikagawa.net/sightseeing/kamebishiya
- かめびし屋 公式サイト
- https://kamebishi.co.jp/
Last verified: 2026.07.02