Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan: A Small Dozo Across the Lane
The Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan (麻吉旅館前蔵, Maegura) is a late Edo-period earthen-walled storehouse, dating from between 1830 and 1867, in Nakanocho, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, and was entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 9 February 2005.
It stands south of the Main Building on the far side of the lane, at 108-2 Nakanocho, and is linked to the Main Building's third floor by an overhead corridor. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a detached building that works like an inner storehouse.
It measures 2 and a half bays by 2 bays, with a gabled roof (Kirizuma-zukuri) of pantiles, and covers 21 square metres, the smallest of the five registered buildings at Asakichi.
Why It Was Registered
The Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan is registration number 24-0056, listed under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country, with the registration announced on 28 February 2005.
The Agency values the side facing the lane between it and the Main Building and Storehouse, clad in Shitami-itabari boarding, as part of a distinctive hillside streetscape; Ise City says the same. The little storehouse forms one wall of the lane, facing the larger buildings opposite.
The overhead corridor to the third floor matters too. Passers-by use the lane below while the inn's own route runs above it, an arrangement that grew out of a site split in two by the lane.
What to Look For
From the lane, look first at the side of the Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan that faces you: horizontal boards held by notched vertical battens, answering the timber walls of the Main Building and Storehouse opposite, so the narrow lane runs between walls of wood.
Then look up. The corridor from the Main Building's third floor crosses above the lane to the storehouse, showing that it has always been used as part of the inn rather than as a free-standing store.
Visiting the Front Storehouse
The storehouse belongs to the inn and is not open to visitors. Its exterior can be seen from the lane that runs between it and the Main Building.
The lane is narrow and used by local residents, so keep clear of passers-by when you stop to look up. Ask the inn about photographing inside its buildings.
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Q&A
- What is the Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan?
- A late Edo-period 2-storey earthen-walled storehouse at 108-2 Nakanocho, Ise City, covering 21 square metres. It stands south of the Main Building across the lane and is linked to the Main Building's third floor by an overhead corridor.
- When was the Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan registered as a cultural property?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 9 February 2005, as number 24-0056, under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape.
- How is the Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan connected to the Main Building?
- By an overhead corridor that crosses the lane at the level of the Main Building's third floor. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a detached building that works like an inner storehouse.
- Why is the Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan considered part of the lane's landscape?
- The side facing the lane is clad in sasarako shitamiita boarding, and together with the buildings opposite it forms the walls on both sides of the lane.
- Can I go inside the Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan?
- No. It belongs to the inn and is not open to visitors. The exterior can be seen from the lane between it and the Main Building.
Basic Information
| Name | Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan (麻吉旅館前蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 108-2 Nakanocho, Ise City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/2/9 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen-walled dozo, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 21 square metres |
| Owner | Asakichi Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Storehouse belonging to the inn; not open to visitors. Exterior visible from the lane |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004588
- Cultural Heritage Online: Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/140358
- Ise City: Front Storehouse of Asakichi Ryokan (Japanese)
- https://www.city.ise.mie.jp/cul_spo_edu/culture/bunkazai_shiseki/bunkazai/yukei/1005930.html
Last verified: 2026.09.27
