A Western Roof Truss Inside a Japanese Storehouse
Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse, in the precincts of Ubushina Shrine in the town of Utazu, Kagawa Prefecture, was built in the middle Meiji period, between 1868 and 1911, and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on 28 April 2010.
A zakko is a general storehouse, the place where the assorted equipment of shrine administration is kept. Nothing in the name narrows its use, which is fair enough for a building that has quietly supported the daily running of the shrine. Of the ten registered structures in these grounds, this is the only one of two storeys.
It measures 5.0 metres by 4.8 metres, with a floor area of 27 square metres: a nearly square plan stretched upward, small and tall. It stands southeast of the shrine's main hall, one terrace lower.
Japanese Skin, Modern Skeleton
Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse is built as Dozo-zukuri, an earthen-walled storehouse, here of two storeys. The main roof is Kirizuma-zukuri in Hongawarabuki tiling, and the building is Tsumairi, entered at the gable end. A second, smaller gable roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles, its slope swelling into a soft curve, is added across the front. Heavy tiles above, lighter pantiles below; the change in material and pitch creates a step in the facade.
The most interesting thing about the building cannot be seen from outside. Its roof frame is a truss. Triangulated members distribute the load, a method that arrived from the West, and it works on a different principle from the traditional Japanese frame, which stacks horizontal beams to carry the purlins. A modern structural technique sits inside a thoroughly Japanese envelope.
The wall finish belongs to the same moment. The lower band is rendered in mortar scored with joint lines so that it reads as coursed cut stone, a treatment used across Japan from the Meiji era into the early twentieth century. Above it the wall is finished in white Shikkui plaster.
Repairs were made in 1934. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the storehouse as one element composing the view at the shrine's frontage, and the listing was granted on the ground of its contribution to the historic landscape.
Looking Up, Looking Down
Because Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse sits a terrace below the main hall, both a downward and an upward view are available. From below, the full height of the two storeys registers; from above, the overlap of the two roofs is legible.
Standing at the front, get close to the mortar of the lower wall. Scored lines run horizontally and vertically, imitating a stone bond. There is no stone. It is a piece of surface design you can verify with your own hand at arm's height.
The smaller roof does not run straight. Seen from directly to the side, its slope swells outward in a shallow convex curve. Within the hard rectilinear outline of an earthen storehouse, that curve is the one soft line.
Visiting
Entering the precincts is free. The interior of Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse is not open and the truss cannot be seen in person, but the exterior may be viewed from the front and the side and photographed without restriction.
Utazu Station on the JR Yosan Line is about 15 minutes away on foot, and there is parking in the grounds. For any special opening, telephone the shrine office on 0877-49-0805.
Southeast of the main hall puts the storehouse in a blind spot from the front of the sanctuary. Walk east past the worship hall and drop down one level, and the facade comes into view. Watch your footing; there are steps and changes of level.
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Q&A
- What sort of building is Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse?
- A two-storey earthen-walled storehouse for shrine equipment. It is the only two-storey building among the ten registered structures at Ubushina Shrine.
- When was Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse built?
- In the middle Meiji period, between 1868 and 1911. It was repaired in 1934 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010, under number 37-0364.
- What is notable about the roof frame of Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse?
- It is a truss, a triangulated Western framing method, used inside an otherwise traditional earthen storehouse. The interior is closed, so it cannot be seen from outside.
- How are the walls of Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse finished?
- The lower band is mortar scored with joint lines to imitate coursed stone; above that the wall is white lime plaster.
- Where is Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse?
- Southeast of the shrine's main hall and one terrace lower. Walk east past the worship hall and down a level to see the front.
Basic Information
| Name | Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 1644-1 Nishimachi and adjoining lots, Utazu, Ayauta District, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 37-0364 |
| Year Designated | Registered 28 April 2010 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 5.0 metres by 4.8 metres, floor area 27 square metres |
| Owner | Ubushina Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Precincts free of charge. Exterior viewable, interior closed |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Ubushina Shrine Miscellaneous Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008196
- Ubushina Shrine, Utazu Sanpomichi (Town of Utazu)
- https://sanpomichi.town.utazu.lg.jp/spot/entry/old/007499/
- Ubushina Shrine guide leaflet (Town of Utazu)
- https://www.town.utazu.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/1448.pdf
- Ubushina Shrine (Utazu Tourism Association)
- https://utazu-kanko.jp/tourism/ubushina-shrine
Last verified: 2026.09.08