A Long, Narrow Service Shed
The Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed (畠中家住宅薪小屋, Hatanaka-ke Jūtaku Makigoya) is an early Showa single-storey timber shed that extends from the south end of the clothing storehouse's eave on the Hatanaka family estate in Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010. It covers 16 square metres and includes a bathroom.
It is 9.5 metres long but only 1.9 metres deep, and it is the only Showa-era building among the estate's nine registered items.
Bath, Firewood and Miso Under One Roof
Despite its name, the Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed did more than store wood. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a bath and related fittings at the north end, firewood storage to the south of them, and a miso store at the southern tip. Fuel for the bath was stacked right beside it, and the household's miso was kept in the same run.
The addition of such a shed in the Showa era, among buildings of the Meiji era, shows an estate that kept being used and adapted. The record calls it a light building, clad high in clapboard with Tosa-shikkui above. The criterion is a contribution to the historic landscape.
Brick Dado and Left-Lapping Tiles
Around the bath the lower walls are built of brick, presumably to stand up to steam and splashing water, a red band inside an otherwise timber shed.
The gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof is laid with left-lapping pantiles, the same choice as on the rice and clothing storehouse, so the roofline carries on from the storehouse to the shed. The walls are clad in Shitami-itabari clapboarding to a high level with only a strip of white plaster above; thinner-walled and lower than the storehouse, the Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed looks light beside it.
Visiting
The Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed stands inside the private grounds, on the west side of the working yard, and is not open, so the brick dado and the miso store cannot be seen.
From the road it lies behind the partition wall, and at best part of its long roof may be visible. Please do not enter the grounds or look over the walls.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed
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Q&A
- What was kept in the Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed?
- A bath and related fittings at the north end, firewood to the south of them, and a miso store at the southern tip.
- When was the Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed built and registered?
- The national record dates it to the early Showa era, and it was registered on 28 April 2010. It is the only Showa-era building among the estate's nine items.
- How big is the Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed?
- It is a single-storey timber shed with a tiled roof, 16 square metres in area, 9.5 metres long and 1.9 metres deep.
- Why is there brick in the Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed?
- The lower walls around the bath are brick, presumably to resist steam and splashing water.
- Can I visit the Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed?
- No. It stands inside private grounds and is closed; from the road you may see part of its roof at most.
Basic Information
| Name | Hatanaka Family Residence Firewood Shed |
|---|---|
| Location | 633 Higashitakazono, Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/4/28 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 16 square metres, with bathroom |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior from the road only) |
References
- 畠中家住宅薪小屋 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008211
Last verified: 2026.09.27
