A Sake Storehouse with Namako Walls
The Segawa Sake Shop East Storehouse (瀬川酒店東蔵) is a single-storey timber sake storehouse of 1917 on the road running west from JR Zentsuji Station at Kamiyoshida-cho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on June 25, 2002 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single storey of timber with a tiled roof and a building area of 146 square metres, registration number 37-0094.
Home of Shidan-ichi Sake
According to the Zentsuji City Digital Museum, the Segawa Sake Shop stands on the main street running from JR Zentsuji Station, opposite the city hall. It began in 1898 as a branch of the Maruo sake shop of Enai, Kotohira; the present building was raised in 1917, followed by north, west and east storehouses.
The museum adds that the shop once brewed its own sake, sold as Shidan-ichi ("best in the division") after General Nogi Maresuke, first commander of the army division at Zentsuji, praised sake offered at the Hachiman shrine on his return from the Russo-Japanese War. Brewing stopped late in the Second World War when rice ran out, but the shop has kept its traditional frontage.
Value as a Registered Cultural Property
The Segawa Sake Shop East Storehouse was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, with the main house, it preserves the frontage and atmosphere of an old-established shop.
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a north-south gabled sake storehouse with pan tiles, adjoining the east side of the main house and showing its south gable to the street.
The south face of the Segawa Sake Shop East Storehouse is finished with a dado of namako tiles set in raised plaster (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The Segawa Sake Shop East Storehouse is privately owned, and its business and interior access have not been confirmed; please view it from the street. The address is 1-4-10 Kamiyoshida-cho, Zentsuji City, on a street lined with old buildings from the station (Zentsuji City). Both registered buildings are gathered on the group page Segawa Sake Shop.
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Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1917 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where does it stand?
- Against the east side of the main house, its south gable facing the street (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What does it look like?
- Its south face has a namako-tile dado (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can visitors go inside?
- It is privately owned, and no public access information has been confirmed.
- When was the Segawa Sake Shop East Storehouse registered?
- On June 25, 2002.
Basic Information
| Name | Segawa Sake Shop East Storehouse (瀬川酒店東蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-4-10 Kamiyoshida-cho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2002/06/25 (Heisei 14) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled roof, building area 146 square metres |
| Owner | Private (per the Zentsuji City list) |
| Public Access | Exterior only (no public access information) |
References
- Segawa Sake Shop East Storehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002826
- Segawa Sake Shop Main House (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002692
- Segawa Sake Shop (Zentsuji City Digital Museum)
- https://www.city.zentsuji.kagawa.jp/soshiki/50/digi-m-culture-detail-046-index.html
- Cultural Properties of Zentsuji (Zentsuji City)
- https://www.city.zentsuji.kagawa.jp/soshiki/50/bunkazai.html
Last verified: 2026.10.12