About the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse
The Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse (ヤマサン醤油北醤油蔵) is a late Meiji-era, single-story earthen-walled (Dozo-zukuri) soy sauce storehouse at the north end of the Yamasan brewery in Umaki, Shodoshima-cho, Kagawa Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2002.
It is a gabled, tiled storehouse running east to west, 30 ken long and 5 ken deep. With a building area of 546 square meters it is the largest of the eleven listed Yamasan buildings, and the only one that dates back to the Meiji period, which makes it one of the earliest parts of the works.
The pressing shed lies along its south side and the barrel shed is attached to its west gable. Set along the northern edge of the brewery, the long wall of this storehouse effectively draws the boundary of the site.
Why the North Storehouse Matters
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse as the core facility of Yamasan's brewing. Around 100 wooden vats are said to have stood inside, and this is where the moromi, the fermenting mash of soybeans, wheat and brine, was left to mature for months at a time.
By the time it was listed, the building was being used as a warehouse. Brewing methods changed, but the storehouse was kept and put to other uses rather than pulled down. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, and the unbroken run of earthen wall and tiled roof is at the heart of that value.
What to Look For at the Yamasan North Storehouse
Inside, a single row of posts runs down the middle of the span to carry the roof. Rather than bridging the full 5 ken, about 9 meters, with one beam, the builders split it in two, and the line of posts carries straight on down the whole 30-ken length. With 100 vats to house, it is easy to picture them ranged on either side of that line.
From outside, the sheer length is the thing. Thirty ken comes to roughly 55 meters of continuous ridge, long even by the standards of Umaki's many breweries, and the thick earthen walls helped keep the temperature inside steady.
At the west end, compare how the rhombus-shaped barrel shed meets the storehouse gable. The awkward junction shows buildings being fitted to the shape of the plot one after another.
Visiting the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Storehouse
The Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse sits at the back of the brewery and cannot be seen in full from the public road. Shodoshima Town lists a moromi storehouse and an earthen storehouse among the stops on Yamasan's reserved tour, without saying whether either is this building.
When you book, ask whether the tour includes this storehouse and whether you can see the central row of posts inside. Ask about photography at the same time.
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Q&A
- What is the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse?
- The Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse is a late Meiji-era earthen-walled storehouse, 30 ken long with a building area of 546 square meters, running along the north side of the Yamasan brewery.
- When was the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse registered?
- The Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 25, 2002.
- What was the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse used for?
- The Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse is said to have held about 100 wooden brewing vats for maturing moromi, making it the core of the brewery. When it was listed it was being used as a warehouse.
- What is unusual about the inside of the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse?
- The Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse has a single row of posts down the center of its span, running the full length of the roughly 55-meter interior.
- Can visitors see the Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse?
- The Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse is inside the brewery grounds, so seeing it requires Yamasan's reserved tour. Ask when booking whether it is included.
Basic Information
| Name | Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 140-2 Ishii-ko, Umaki, Shodoshima-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2002 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 546 m² (single-story earthen-walled storehouse) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Grounds shown on guided tours by reservation |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Yamasan Soy Sauce North Soy Sauce Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002832
- Shodoshima Town: Yamasan Soy Sauce Co., Ltd. (Japanese)
- https://www.town.shodoshima.lg.jp/kanko/miru/sangyo/yamasan.html
Last verified: 2026.09.24
