The Storehouse That Came Later
The Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse (旧上野家住宅西蔵, Kyū Ueno-ke Jūtaku Nishigura) is a two-storey earthen storehouse at the northwest corner of the Ueno family compound in Saihoji, Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, dated by the national database to the Shōwa 20s (1945–1954) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 3, 2006.
The Ueno west storehouse stands northwest of the nagaya, apart from the other two storehouses. It measures 2.5 Ken by 2 ken, with a building area of 18 square metres, and is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri building under a tiled gabled roof running east to west.
Its date is disputed. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database gives the Shōwa 20s, while the list in Maizuru City's Basic Concept for History and Culture gives the Meiji 20s (the 1880s). Which is right could not be confirmed at the time of writing.
Why the West Storehouse Was Registered
The Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape. The national description says it was built as the household expanded and that it helps form the compound's historic scene.
The late Edo east and middle storehouses stand together behind the main house; the west storehouse stands alone beyond the nagaya. Its position shows the order in which the compound grew, outward from the main house and westward with the nagaya and this storehouse.
Whichever date is correct, it is among the newest of the eight structures, and it was built in the same clay-walled manner as the older storehouses, which keeps the compound looking of a piece.
What to Look For
Start at the base. The storehouse sits on a raised foundation of cut stone, and stone steps lead up to the door on the south side, lifting the floor clear of the ground.
The walls are finished in white lime plaster, unlike the clay-coloured intermediate finish of the east and middle storehouses. That is the most obvious difference when you compare the three.
A canopy shelters the door. Steps, door and canopy stack neatly one above another, a tidy front for a small building.
Visiting the West Storehouse
The Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse can be seen from outside by walking round to the north of the nagaya. The interior is not regularly open. Local tourism listings mention exhibitions held in the storehouses; if one is on, ask the facility which storehouse is being used.
No published rule on photography turned up, but photographing the exterior is unlikely to be a problem. Opening hours and directions are covered on the Former Ueno Family Residence page.
Q&A
- Can you visit the Ueno West Storehouse, and is there a fee?
- Yes. The Ueno West Storehouse stands inside the compound, which is open free of charge from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on opening days and closed on Wednesdays and over the New Year holidays.
- When was the Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse built?
- Sources differ. The national database says the Shōwa 20s (1945–1954), while Maizuru City's Basic Concept for History and Culture says the Meiji 20s (the 1880s).
- How does the Ueno West Storehouse differ from the other storehouses?
- Its walls are finished in white lime plaster, and it stands on a raised stone foundation with stone steps. The east and middle storehouses have a clay-coloured finish.
- How large is the Ueno West Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey clay-walled storehouse 2.5 ken by 2 ken, with a building area of 18 square metres.
- Is the Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse an Important Cultural Property?
- No. The Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, registered on August 3, 2006, on the same day as the other seven structures in the compound.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 285 Saihoji, Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/08/03 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey clay-walled, tiled roof; 2.5 ken by 2 ken; building area 18 square metres |
| Owner | Maizuru City |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable free of charge 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on opening days (closed Wednesdays and New Year holidays); interior not regularly open |
References
- Former Ueno Family Residence West Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs database, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005632
- Maizuru City Basic Concept for History and Culture, Ch. 2 (2-3): list of designated and registered properties (Japanese)
- https://www.city.maizuru.kyoto.jp/kyouiku/cmsfiles/contents/0000004/4317/2-2.2_2019013109530129.pdf
- Ordinance on the Kasa Area Ōjōya Ueno-ke Facility (Maizuru City bylaws, Japanese)
- https://www.city.maizuru.kyoto.jp/html/reiki_int/reiki_honbun/k104RG00000789.html
- Kasa Area Ōjōya Ueno-ke (Maizuru City official website, Japanese)
- https://www.city.maizuru.kyoto.jp/kankou/0000010433.html
- Ōjōya Ueno-ke (Maizuru tourism association, Japanese)
- https://maizuru-kanko.net/archives/sightseeing/686
Last verified: 2026.09.25
