Matsuoka Family Residence East Sake Brewery

A Storehouse in an L

The Matsuoka Family Residence East Sake Brewery (松岡家住宅東酒蔵, Higashi Sakagura) is a single-storey sake storehouse built in the early Taishō era in the Matsuoka compound in Hongō, Hidaka Village, Kōchi Prefecture, and registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 March 2004. It stands in front of the west end of the Pressing House and joins it in an L.

It measures 5 bays by 3 and a half bays and covers 55 square meters. The ridge runs north to south under a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of pantiles, entered on the long side in the Hirairi manner, with a lean-to projecting one bay at the front.

"East" refers to its neighbor, the West Sake Brewery, which stands alongside it. In the compound as a whole it lies west of the Main House, among the brewing buildings.

A Storehouse That Is Also a Corridor

Inside the Matsuoka Family Residence East Sake Brewery, the northern half served as a passage to the West Sake Brewery, whose entrance is reached from within this building. The Pressing House, the East and the West Sake Breweries were linked indoors, so sake and workers could move between them without going out into the rain.

The exterior is Tosa plaster, with some board cladding. The Agency for Cultural Affairs record calls it "timber, single storey" in one field and "earthen storehouse, single storey" in another, but Dozo-zukuri means a timber frame with earthen walls, so both describe the same building.

The Agency describes the Matsuoka Family Residence East Sake Brewery as one of the principal elements enclosing the brewery yard. It was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape.

The Lean-to and the Junction

At the Matsuoka Family Residence East Sake Brewery, look first at the one-bay lean-to along the front. Its low eaves most likely sheltered loading and work from the rain.

Then find the corner where it meets the Pressing House. An east-west building and a north-south building meet at a right angle, and from outside you can see how the two roofs were resolved.

It is the smallest of the Matsuoka storehouses, and for that reason its role as the joint between the brewing buildings is easy to read.

Visiting

The Matsuoka Family Residence East Sake Brewery stands inside the grounds and is hard to see from the lane; its interior is not open on a regular basis. Visit on an event day or arrange access with the Hidaka Sakagura Association.

Booking details and directions are on the Matsuoka Family Residence page.