A Single-Storey Storehouse Joined to Its Neighbour
Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse (岩崎家住宅西蔵, Iwasaki-ke Jūtaku Nishigura) is a single-storey dozo storehouse at Iwasaki Yatarō's birthplace in Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, built in 1897 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010. It stands west of the East Storehouse, its ridge running north to south.
It measures 11 metres by 4.8 metres, with a building area of 93 square metres. The hipped roof (Yosemune-zukuri) is tiled in Sangawara-buki, and a lean-to 1.9 metres deep runs along the east side. Between this building and the East Storehouse, a double-pitched roof bridges the gap and shelters an office and storage rooms.
The walls are thick plastered walls with vertical boarding at the base and Tosa lime plaster above. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, together with the East Storehouse, it gives the grounds a solid, weighty enclosure.
Two Storehouses, One Outline
The Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse followed the East Storehouse by eleven years. The earlier building runs east to west, the later one north to south, and together they form an L, linked by the shared roof so that they read as a single range. The ring of storehouses around the north-west and north of the Main House was completed only when this one was added.
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, valued less as a storehouse in its own right than as half of the pair that defines the edge of the grounds.
According to the Aki City Tourist Association, the ridge-end tiles of the storehouses west of and behind the Main House carry the sangaibishi crest of the Iwasaki family. The West Storehouse is the one to the west; look up at the roof to find it.
Comparing the Pair
Seen beside the East Storehouse, the Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse shows its own character. The East Storehouse has two storeys, a gabled roof and clapboard at the base; the West Storehouse has one storey, a hipped roof and vertical boarding. Storehouses on the same grounds took different forms depending on when they were built.
Look too at the space under the linking roof, once an office and storage. It suggests the storehouses were run as a working centre for the household's affairs, not only as places to keep goods. The depth of the east lean-to is clearest as you approach from the Main House side.
Visiting the West Storehouse
The interior of the Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse is closed. The exterior can be viewed free of charge during the grounds' opening hours.
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 West Storehouse built?
- In 1897. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010.
- How does the Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse differ from the East Storehouse?
- The East Storehouse, from 1886, has two storeys and a gabled roof; the West Storehouse has one storey and a hipped roof. A shared roof links them, covering an office and storage rooms.
- Can you go inside the Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse?
- No. The interior is closed, but the exterior can be viewed free of charge during opening hours.
- Does the Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse carry the Mitsubishi crest?
- The Aki City Tourist Association says the ridge-end tiles of the storehouses west of and behind the Main House bear the Iwasaki sangaibishi crest; the West Storehouse is the western one.
- What lies between the Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse and the East Storehouse?
- A double-pitched roof spans the gap between them, sheltering an office and storage rooms.
Basic Information
| Name | Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse (岩崎家住宅西蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1696 Ko, Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and adjoining lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 39-0255 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/04/28 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Single-storey dozo storehouse, hipped tiled roof; building area 93 m²; 11 m by 4.8 m; east lean-to 1.9 m deep |
| Owner | Private (Iwasaki family) |
| Public Access | Exterior free to view; interior closed |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008202
- Cultural Heritage Online: Iwasaki Family Residence West Storehouse
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/144817
- Aki City: Iwasaki Yataro Birthplace (Japanese)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=45
Last verified: 2026.09.25
