Where the Rice Was Kept
The Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House (濱田典彌家住宅米あずかり場, Hamada Norihiro-ke Jūtaku Kome Azukariba) is a small single-storey timber building of 1934 used for handling rice in the Hamada Norihiro family's compound in Otsu, Nahari Town, Aki District, Kochi Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 8 November 2004.
The Hamada Norihiro rice deposit house stands against the north side of the kamaya, its ridge running north to south, and a veranda corridor along its west side leads to the northeast corner of the main house. At 37 square meters it is the smallest of the five registered structures.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House as a building that shows part of how a landowner's residence was laid out, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Kome azukariba reads literally as a place where rice is held in trust. No public record we found explains exactly how it was used, for instance whether tenant farmers delivered their rent rice here. What the official description supports is that a landowning household built a dedicated rice building right against its living quarters.
Its link to the main house by a covered corridor meant a member of the family could reach it, and oversee rice coming in or going out, without stepping outside.
A Small Building with a Full Roof
The Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House measures 3 ken by 2.5 ken. It has a hip-and-gable Irimoya-zukuri roof in Sangawara-buki tiles with Geya lean-to roofs on all four sides. The kamaya beside it has a plain gable roof, yet this small rice building was given the same roof form as the main house.
Inside, a raised floored area of about five mats sits beside an earth-floored area of about three mats, so the floored part is the larger of the two. What each part was used for is not recorded; only the two-part layout is documented.
Visiting
The Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House is not open to the public, and neither its interior nor the grounds can be visited.
It stands toward the northeast of the compound, north of the kamaya, and it is not confirmed whether it can be seen from outside. Directions are on the Hamada Norihiro Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- What is the Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House?
- A small single-storey timber building where the Hamada Norihiro household handled rice. The Agency for Cultural Affairs presents it as part of a landowner's residence.
- When was the Hamada Norihiro rice deposit house built and registered?
- It dates from 1934 and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 8 November 2004, under registration number 39-0179.
- How is the Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House laid out?
- It covers 37 square meters, 3 ken by 2.5 ken, divided into a raised floor of about five mats and an earth floor of about three mats.
- Did tenant farmers deliver rice to the Hamada Norihiro rice deposit house?
- The name suggests something like that, but no public source we found records how the building was actually used.
- Can I visit the Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House?
- No. There is no public opening, and the building and grounds are private.
Basic Information
| Name | Hamada Norihiro Family Residence Rice Deposit House (濱田典彌家住宅米あずかり場) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1028-1 Otsu, Nahari-cho, Aki-gun, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 8 November 2004 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, tiled roof, building area 37 square meters |
| Owner | Not listed (owner field blank in the ACA database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (no public opening announced) |
References
- 濱田典彌家住宅米あずかり場 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004465
- 濱田典彌家住宅米あずかり場 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/151075
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings), Kochi Prefecture
- https://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/doc/2023062200186/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
