Kamebishi Former No. 4 and No. 6 Warehouses
At the middle of the northern edge of the western plot across the road stands the former No. 6 warehouse, about 12 by 6 meters. To its south the former No. 4 warehouse joins it at a right angle. The No. 4 store runs north-south, about 13.4 by 6 meters, a single-story gabled building in formal hongawara tile, marked by low eaves and a long sweeping roof.
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.
The former No. 6 and No. 4 warehouses turn a right angle to join, and are treated as a single registered building. The No. 4 store keeps its eaves low and sweeps its roof down long, making a deep sheltered space beneath. It now serves as storage, but is thought to have begun as a wholesaler's building rather than a brewing store.
Why It Matters
The Kamebishi site divides in two: the eastern part with the main house, and the western part across the road. These two stores anchoring the northern edge of the western plot are thought to have been a wholesaler's, set against Hikita's history as a port town that prospered on trade. The distinctive right-angle plan and the low sweeping eaves are the landscape features behind the listing.
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.
From outside, trace the right-angle L where the two stores meet. The low, long-swept eaves of the No. 4 store cast deep shadow and give it a distinctive look. Of Kamebishi's two plots split by the road, this is the building to start from when walking the western plot.
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 Former No. 4 and No. 6 Warehouses?
- 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 early Meiji, remodeled in the late Taisho period and served as a right-angled pair of stores, likely once a wholesaler's buildings.
- 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.
- Where is this building, and how does it relate to the rest of Kamebishi?
- It stands on the western plot at 2132 Hikita, across the road from the main compound at 2174. The brewery is split into two plots by the road, with preparation and koji-making concentrated on the eastern side and much of the moromi storage and pressing on the western side.
- 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 Former No. 4 and No. 6 Warehouses (かめびし旧四号蔵及び旧六号蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2132 Hikita, Higashikagawa, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), No. 37-0172 |
| Registered | Registered 19 September 2003 |
| Criterion | Contributing to the historic landscape of the nation |
| Date | early Meiji, remodeled in the late Taisho period |
| Structure | single-story timber structure, tiled roof, building area 153 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/101/00003615
- 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