The Storehouse by the Kitchen
The Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse (鮫島家住宅内蔵, Sameshima-ke Jūtaku Uchigura) is a late Meiji-period 2-storey earthen storehouse in the Kaseda Fumoto district of Minamisatsuma City, Kagoshima Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 July 2011. It stands immediately north of the kitchen wing of the main house, its ridge running north to south.
It is built in the thick-walled Dozo-zukuri manner, 7.0 metres by 5.1 metres, with a building area of 35 square metres, under a gabled roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles. The walls are finished in Shikkui lime plaster. Like the main house, it was renovated in 1998.
A Working Store, Not a Showpiece
The estate has two storehouses. The one on the street is built for display, lifted on dressed stone. The Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse is the other kind: tucked at the back, a few steps from the kitchen, placed for everyday use rather than for being seen. Uchi means inner, and the name says exactly where it belongs.
Its east face carries a deep canopy projecting 3.2 metres. That is a generous overhang for a building 7.0 metres long, and it leaves a broad sheltered space along that side. Inside, the ground floor is divided into 2 rooms, north and south; the upper floor is 1 room.
The quieter detail is underneath. The storehouse stands on tall foundation stones that lift the floor 70 centimetres clear of the ground, keeping damp away from whatever was stored inside. It was registered under the criterion of contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Notice
If you ever have the chance to see it, the two things that define the Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse are the raised base and the deep east canopy. Where the street storehouse shows off its cut stone, this one shows its precautions.
Visiting
The storehouse stands at the back of a private estate and is not visible from the street in any useful way. There is no public or special opening (checked September 2026). Please do not enter the property. Directions to the district are given on the Sameshima Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagoshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse
- [ Sakurajima Ferry & Yakushima World Heritage ]
Q&A
- Where is the Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- Immediately north of the kitchen wing of the main house, at the back of the Sameshima estate in Kaseda Fumoto, Minamisatsuma City.
- How big is the Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- It is a 2-storey earthen storehouse measuring 7.0 metres by 5.1 metres, with a building area of 35 square metres and a canopy 3.2 metres deep on the east side.
- How does the Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse deal with damp?
- It stands on tall foundation stones that raise the floor 70 centimetres above the ground.
- Can the Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse be visited?
- No. It is part of a private home, and no openings are announced (checked September 2026).
- How is the interior of the Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse divided?
- The ground floor has 2 rooms, north and south, and the upper floor is a single room.
Basic Information
| Name | Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse (鮫島家住宅内蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 18275 Kaseda Takeda, Minamisatsuma City, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration no. 46-0096 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof; building area 35 square metres (7.0 metres by 5.1 metres) |
| Owner | Private individual (not published) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Sameshima Family Residence Inner Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008794
- Japan Heritage Portal, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Sameshima (Kenji) Family Residence
- https://www.japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/4679/
- Satsuma Samurai Towns Japan Heritage Council: Sameshima (Kenji) Family Residence
- https://kagoshima-fumoto.jp/minamisatsuma/%E9%AE%AB%E5%B3%B6%E5%81%A5%E5%BF%97%E5%AE%B6%E4%BD%8F%E5%AE%85/
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Minamisatsuma-shi Kaseda Fumoto
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/103/00000125
- Satsuma Samurai Towns Japan Heritage Council: Kaseda Fumoto
- https://kagoshima-fumoto.jp/minamisatsuma/
- Minamisatsuma Tourism Association: Kaseda Fumoto walking map (PDF)
- https://kanko-minamisatsuma.jp/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/feature-kasedamachiaruki.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.25
