What the North Treasure House Is
The Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House (稲葉家住宅北宝蔵, Inaba-ke Jūtaku Kita Hōzō) in Kumihama, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture, is the northern of two storehouses joined by a corridor to the east side of the Inaba main house, built in the late Edo period (1830 to 1867) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2003. It is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse (Dozo-zukuri) with a tiled roof and 12 square meters of building area.
It is the smallest of the four registered buildings, and along with the nagayamon gate it is older than the Meiji main house it now serves.
A Storehouse That Was Moved
What sets the Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House apart is that it no longer stands where it was built. The Agency for Cultural Affairs says old drawings kept by the family show it was moved when the main house went up. The technique, hikiya, shifts a building in one piece rather than taking it down and rebuilding it.
Work on the present main house began in 1885 and ended in 1890. The family was remaking the estate, yet instead of demolishing an Edo storehouse it hauled it to a new spot beside the new house and kept using it. A storehouse with thick clay walls is a heavy thing to move. That they went to the trouble says something about how much the building mattered to them.
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency notes that the north treasure house, together with the main house, the nagayamon gate and the south treasure house, makes up the look of the estate.
The Shape of a Small Store
It measures about 2 by 1.5 Ken. The roof is a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) pantile roof (Sangawara-buki) over two storeys, with the ridge running north to south.
The interest lies in the contrast with its neighbor to the south. The south treasure house was built with the main house in the Meiji period, with an east-west ridge and 23 square meters of floor. The Inaba north treasure house has about half that, 12 square meters, and its ridge turns the other way. Two storehouses on the same corridor, and their rooflines cross at a right angle.
That mismatch is the rebuilding made visible: an older store kept and moved, a newer one added beside it.
Visiting the North Treasure House
The operators say the treasure houses linked to the main house hold a permanent exhibition introducing the Inaba family. Their guide does not say how the space is split between the north and south storehouses, so ask at reception whether the Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House can be entered on the day.
Opening hours and directions are on the Inaba Family Residence group page.
Q&A
- When was the Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period (1830 to 1867). It is older than the main house, which was completed in 1890.
- Was the Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House really moved?
- Yes. According to the Agency, old drawings kept by the family show it was moved in one piece when the main house was built, rather than being demolished.
- How big is the Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House?
- It is a two-storey storehouse of about 2 by 1.5 ken, with 12 square meters of building area, the smallest of the four registered buildings.
- How does the Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House differ from the south one?
- The north storehouse is a late Edo building of 12 square meters with a north-south ridge. The south one was built with the main house in the Meiji period, has 23 square meters and an east-west ridge.
- Can I go inside the Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House?
- The treasure houses linked to the main house hold a permanent family exhibition, but the official guide does not say which storehouse is used. Ask at reception.
Basic Information
| Name | Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House (稲葉家住宅北宝蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3102 Kumihamacho, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), register no. 26-0145 |
| Year Designated | Registered January 31, 2003 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey earthen-walled storehouse, tiled roof, building area 12 square meters |
| Owner | Kyotango City |
| Public Access | Permanent family exhibition in the treasure houses, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed Wednesdays and New Year holidays. Ask at reception which storehouse is in use |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Inaba Family Residence North Treasure House (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003113
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Inaba Family Residence South Treasure House (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003112
- Guide to the Buildings (Gosho Inaba Honke, in Japanese)
- https://www.inabahonke.com/kannai/
Last verified: 2026.09.27
