What Is the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse?
The Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse (旧平田家住宅東蔵, Kyū Hirata-ke Jūtaku Higashikura) is a 2-storey clay-walled storehouse built in the Taisho era (1912 to 1926) in Chiyoda-cho, Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 17, 2015. With a building area of 17 square meters, it is the smallest of the 7 registered structures.
It stands directly north of the main house and was used to store household goods. With the long West Storehouse beside it, it forms the northern edge of the estate.
Small but Two Storeys High
The Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse measures 2.5 ken by 2 ken, roughly the area of 10 tatami mats on each floor, with a second storey stacked on top. The result is a compact, tall little building.
Its ridge runs east to west under a gabled roof of pantiles. The door is on the south side, facing the main house, and has its own small canopy. Opening toward the house, it was convenient for things the family needed often.
Different Walls on Each Floor
Inside the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse, the ground floor is lined with boards and the upper floor is left as Shikkui plaster. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the difference without explaining it; the boards most likely protect the walls on the floor where goods were carried in and out most.
The base is granite laid in kikkō-zumi, tortoiseshell masonry of near-hexagonal stones, the same technique used under the West Storehouse. Even this small building received the full treatment, and the two storehouses were built to a matching standard.
Seeing the East Storehouse
We found no report of the interior of the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse being opened. The estate's seasonal openings cover the shoin and the garden, and we could not confirm if this storehouse behind the main house can be seen from outside.
Opening periods and directions are on the Former Hirata Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse built?
- In the Taisho era (1912 to 1926). It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 17, 2015.
- How big is the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse?
- It is a 2-storey clay-walled storehouse of 17 square meters, 2.5 by 2 ken, the smallest of the 7 registered structures.
- What are the interior walls of the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse like?
- Board-lined on the ground floor and plastered on the upper floor.
- Where is the door of the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse?
- On the south side, facing the main house, under a small canopy.
- Can I go inside the Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse?
- We found no report of the interior being opened to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse (旧平田家住宅東蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 941 Chiyodacho, Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), registration no. 24-0223 |
| Year Designated | Registered November 17, 2015 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Clay-walled storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 17 square meters, 2.5 by 2 ken |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Interior closed (the shoin and garden of the estate open for limited periods) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010822
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Hirata Family Residence East Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/213747
- Former Hirata Family Residence Main House and 6 others (Yokkaichi City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.yokkaichi.lg.jp/www/contents/1001000002610/index.html
Last verified: 2026.09.27
