A Two-Storey Storehouse Behind the Main House
Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse (岩崎家住宅東蔵, Iwasaki-ke Higashigura) is a two-storey dozo storehouse at Iwasaki Yatarō's birthplace in Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, built in 1886 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010. It stands directly behind the thatched Main House, its ridge running east to west.
The building measures 11 metres by 4.6 metres, with a building area of 60 square metres. Its gabled roof (Kirizuma-zukuri) is tiled in Sangawara-buki and set on the thick earthen body as a separate timber structure, the form known as okiyane. A lean-to on the south side shelters a working area, and the ground floor is divided into two rooms, east and west.
The walls are thick plastered walls with Shitami-itabari clapboard along the base and Tosa lime plaster above, banded with several tiers of projecting mizukiri-gawara drip tiles. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out the result as a look peculiar to Tosa.
A Storehouse from the Mitsubishi Years
The Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse dates from 1886, thirteen years after Yatarō adopted the name Mitsubishi Shōkai in 1873. Where the Main House is a small farmhouse of around 1795, this is the earliest dated building the family added to the grounds in the Meiji era.
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. Its white plaster and the horizontal lines of the drip tiles continue into the West Storehouse, forming the north side of the grounds and a backdrop for the thatched house in front.
The Aki City Tourist Association notes that the ridge-end tiles of the storehouses west of and behind the Main House bear the sangaibishi, the Iwasaki crest of three stacked lozenges. The East Storehouse is the one behind. Mitsubishi's three-diamond mark is traced to that crest combined with the oak-leaf crest of the Yamauchi, lords of Tosa.
Drip Tiles and a Floating Roof
Walk round behind the Main House to see the Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse in full. Look first at the drip tiles, projecting from the plaster in rows like tiny eaves, throwing rainwater clear of the wall. In a province of typhoons and heavy rain they protect the plaster, and they are a common sight on storehouses across Kochi.
Then look at the line where roof meets wall. An okiyane is built separately from the plastered body of the storehouse, leaving a slight gap between the two. Stand at a gable end and look up to read how it sits.
The crest on the ridge-end tile is visible from the gable ends. The earthen wall runs east from the north-east corner of the East Storehouse, and the junction of storehouse and wall is worth a look too.
Visiting the East Storehouse
The interior of the Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse is closed. The exterior can be viewed free of charge during the grounds' opening hours. The path behind the storehouses is narrow, so avoid touching or leaning on the walls.
Press and other filming requires the owners' permission. Opening hours and directions are covered on the Iwasaki Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse built?
- In 1886. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010.
- What is the crest on the Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse?
- The sangaibishi, the Iwasaki family crest of three stacked lozenges, regarded as one of the sources of the Mitsubishi three-diamond mark.
- Can you go inside the Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse?
- No. The interior is closed, but the exterior can be viewed free of charge during opening hours.
- What are the tiles set into the walls of the Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse?
- They are mizukiri-gawara, drip tiles that throw rainwater off the Tosa lime plaster. Several tiers run around the walls.
- What is the okiyane roof of the Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse?
- A timber roof built separately and set on top of the earthen body of the storehouse. Here it is a gabled roof tiled in pantiles.
Basic Information
| Name | Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse (岩崎家住宅東蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1696 Ko, Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and adjoining lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 39-0254 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/04/28 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Two-storey dozo storehouse, gabled tiled roof; building area 60 m²; 11 m by 4.6 m |
| Owner | Private (Iwasaki family) |
| Public Access | Exterior free to view; interior closed |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008201
- Cultural Heritage Online: Iwasaki Family Residence East Storehouse
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/196962
- Aki City: Iwasaki Yataro Birthplace (Japanese)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=45
Last verified: 2026.09.25
