The Smallest of the Seven
The Goto Family Residence Storage Shed (五藤家住宅物置, Gotō-ke Jūtaku Monooki) is a single-storey timber shed built in 1896 in the Gotō family compound on the Aki Castle site in Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and entered on the national register of Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2008. At 8.3 square metres, it is the smallest of the seven registered structures.
It sits on the north side of the grounds between the annex and the barn, measuring 2 by 1 bays with an east-west ridge. The roof is a pantiled Maneki-yane, a gable with slopes of unequal length.
Open Front, Fenced Back
On its south side, the Goto Family Residence Storage Shed has a short stretch of board wall at the west end and is otherwise left completely open, with no doors or shutters. This is a shed for grabbing tools and firewood, not for locking things away.
The north side is the opposite: an unbroken wall of vertical boards, built to look like a stretch of fence. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that this was done to harmonise with the landscape around the property. Even a building this small was given a public face, which is exactly what the registration criterion, contribution to the historic landscape of the nation, rewards.
What to Look For
The Goto Family Residence Storage Shed has two personalities. From inside the grounds, on the south, it is an open work shed you can see straight into. From the north, the same building disappears into what looks like a board fence.
Notice the roof as well: the two slopes meet the ridge at different lengths, giving a tiny building an unexpectedly lopsided outline. Squeezed between the annex and the barn it is easy to miss, but comparing its height with its neighbours shows how the back row of buildings steps up and down.
Visiting the Storage Shed
The storage shed stands on the north side of the Goto Family Aki Residence grounds, between the annex and the barn. Entry is free, and because the south side is open you can see the interior construction from outside. Follow on-site guidance on whether you may step inside.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kochi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Goto Family Residence Storage Shed
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Q&A
- What is the Goto Family Residence Storage Shed?
- A single-storey timber shed of 2 by 1 bays and 8.3 square metres. Most of the south side is open with no doors, while the north wall is vertical boarding built to look like a fence.
- When was the Goto Family Residence Storage Shed built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1896, the same year as the main house.
- What shape is the roof of the Goto Family Residence Storage Shed?
- It is a pantiled maneki-yane, a gable whose two slopes are of unequal length.
- Where is the Goto Family Residence Storage Shed?
- On the north side of the Goto Family Aki Residence grounds, between the annex and the barn.
- Why is the Goto Family Residence Storage Shed a registered cultural property?
- Although tiny, its north wall was built as fence-like vertical boarding to blend with the landscape around the property. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape of the nation.
Basic Information
| Name | Goto Family Residence Storage Shed |
|---|---|
| Location | 955 Doiato, Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/3/7 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 8.3 square metres |
| Owner | Aki City |
| Public Access | Open as the Goto Family Aki Residence, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays, free admission |
References
- 五藤家住宅物置 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006942
- Aki City Doi Kachu Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings (Aki City)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=1381
- Aki City Goto Family Aki Residence Ordinance (Aki City)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/reiki/reiki_honbun/o304RG00000834.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
