Shirakane Sake Brewery Stone Warehouse

A Finely Built Stone Brewing Store

The Shirakane Sake Brewery Stone Warehouse (白金酒造石蔵) is a Meiji-period stone-clad timber brewing store in Wakimoto, Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture, which in 2001 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a stone building with a tiled roof and a building area of 222 square metres, owned by Shirakane Shuzo and registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.

The Agency describes it as the fermentation store of a brewery founded in 1869.

Structure

According to the Agency, it stands south of Shigetomi Station on the JR Nippo Line, facing west onto Route 10. It is gabled with a pantiled roof, originally entered on the long side, with a timber frame clad in stone.

It is one of many tuff stone stores in Kagoshima, distinguished by its very thin joints and precise masonry.

What to Look For

Look closely at the masonry to see how thin the joints are. Shirakane Shuzo says the stone is Kajiki stone.

The brewery relates that during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, Saigo Takamori's army camped at the brewery, then the Kawada brewing shop, and bought up all its shochu.

Visiting the Shirakane Sake Brewery Stone Warehouse

Shirakane Shuzo says the warehouse is open as the Ishigura Museum from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed on Wednesdays, over the New Year and during Obon, with parking for 23 cars.

Tours of the museum are by reservation only: call 0995-67-1496 in advance, and a staff member will accompany you. Visitors cannot enter on their own.