Matsuoka Family Residence Rice Storehouse

The Storehouse on the Corner

The Matsuoka Family Residence Rice Storehouse (松岡家住宅米蔵, Komegura) is a two-storey earthen-walled Dozo-zukuri rice store built in the early Taishō era in the Matsuoka sake brewer's compound in Hongō, Hidaka Village, Kōchi Prefecture, and registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 March 2004. It holds the south-east corner of the property.

It measures 4 bays by 3 bays and covers 30 square meters. The ridge runs north to south under a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of pantiles. It stands on a tortoise-shell stone base, the same masonry used for the walls along the front of the compound.

It sits at the east end, away from the brewing buildings in the west, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs classes it with the household rather than the brewery.

A Storehouse Built by the Book

The walls of the Matsuoka Family Residence Rice Storehouse change halfway up. The lower wall is clad in lapped boards held by vertical battens; above that the wall is white lime plaster, and the plaster wraps the eaves as well, finished in a thick band at the head of the wall called hachimaki, "headband." The Agency calls it a thoroughly proper storehouse.

The eaves project deeply, and two to three tiers of mizukiri-gawara run around the walls. These are rows of tiles set into the wall like small awnings, throwing rainwater clear of the surface below, and they are common on the storehouses of rain-soaked Kōchi Prefecture. The Agency singles out the deep eaves and these tile tiers as the building's distinguishing marks.

It was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. It is small, but from its stone base to its banded eaves it has everything a storehouse should.

Count the Tile Tiers

At the Matsuoka Family Residence Rice Storehouse, count the tiers of tiles on each wall. Some faces have two and some three, most likely set according to how hard the rain strikes each side.

Then look at the base. Boards held by battens rise from the tortoise-shell stone, and white plaster rises above the boards. Stone, timber and plaster share the work of keeping out rain and damp, layer by layer.

Stand under the eaves and look up at the plaster headband. The bulk of that wrapped eave is the storehouse's fire defense.

Visiting

The Matsuoka Family Residence Rice Storehouse stands within the grounds and its interior is not open on a regular basis. Visit on an event day or arrange access with the Hidaka Sakagura Association.

Whether any of the building can be seen from outside the walls could not be confirmed. Booking details and directions are on the Matsuoka Family Residence page.