What Is the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse?
The Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse (葛野常喜家住宅蔵, Kuzuno Jōki-ke Jūtaku Kura) is a clay-walled storehouse in Katsuragawa Bomuracho, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, dating from the late Edo period (1751–1829) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2002. A two-storey Dozo-zukuri building of 34 m², it is roofed with metal sheeting shaped like tiles.
It stands in the southwest corner of the Kuzuno Joki family's plot, facing east. The family represented the lay parishioners of the temple Myōōin, and on the Agency for Cultural Affairs' dates the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse is older than the main house of 1843.
Why the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse Matters
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency describes the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse as small yet finished with care down to the details, and in good condition. Its exterior, with a tall base of charred boards sharply divided from the plastered wall above, is counted among the main elements of the Myōōin approach.
The remark on its good condition is not made for the Kuzuno Joman storehouse across the approach. For a building thought to be older than the house it serves, the survival of its details is part of what earned the registration.
How the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse Is Built
The Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse has its entrance on a long side (Hirairi) and an Okiyane, a roof set separately over the clay body. The roofing is metal pressed to imitate sangawara tile. Lean-to roofs (Geya) are added on two sides, over the doorway and along the north gable, so two low roofs attach to the box of the store.
The walls are covered with charred boards to a good height, with white Shikkui plaster above. Charring the surface of the boards is a traditional way of protecting timber against rain and insects. The Kuzuno Joman storehouse across the lane uses the same scheme, so the two black-and-white stores face each other at the head of the approach.
Visiting the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse
The interior of the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse is not open. The storehouse sits in the southwest corner of the plot near the head of the approach, but how much of it can be seen from the road has not been confirmed. Please view it from the road and stay off the property.
Directions and bus times are on the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse to the late Edo period (1751–1829) without giving an exact year.
- When was the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 14, 2002, the same day as the main house, under registration number 25-0184.
- Is the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse older than the main house?
- On the Agency's dates the storehouse belongs to the late Edo period (1751–1829) and the main house to 1843, which would make the storehouse the older building.
- What is the roof of the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse made of?
- It is metal sheeting shaped like sangawara tiles, laid on an okiyane roof that sits separately over the clay body of the store.
- Can I go inside the Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse?
- No interior opening is listed in Agency or Otsu City materials. It is seen from the road, and the plot is off limits.
Basic Information
| Name | Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 102 Katsuragawa Bomuracho, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2002-2-14 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Dozo-zukuri, 2 storeys, building area 34 m² |
| Owner | Unknown (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior visible from the approach) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002633
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kuzuno Joki Family Residence Main House (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002632
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kuzuno Joman Family Residence Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002551
Last verified: 2026.10.15
