A White Storehouse for the Family's Valuables
Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse (石川酒造南文庫蔵, Ishikawa Shuzō Minami Bunkogura) is a clay-walled storehouse at a sake brewery in Sakuramachi, Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, built in the late Meiji period (1898 to 1912) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on March 29, 2013. Its registration number is 24-0133.
It stands on the west side of the property, just north of the West Reception Wing. The building is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse with a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) pantiled roof, 7.2 metres by 5.8 metres in plan and 50 square metres in area. Two doorways open on the east face, sheltered by a lean-to roof (Geya).
A bunkogura, literally an archive storehouse, held what a family most wanted to protect from fire and theft: account books, deeds, heirloom utensils. It had nothing to do with brewing. The Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse and the smaller North Archive Storehouse just to its northeast looked after the household's wealth.
Why It Was Registered
The Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. Careful construction and its role as the anchor of the property's western edge were the deciding factors.
It sits on a base of cut stone, and the walls are finished in white plaster (Shikkui). Under the eaves runs a thick plaster band called a hachimaki, meant to stop fire from creeping into the roof. The lower walls are treated differently face by face: only the east side, where the doors are, gets a washed-aggregate finish (Araidashi), while the other three are clad in overlapping boards (Shitami-itabari). Fine plasterwork where people could see it, practical timber everywhere else.
The West Earthen Wall, which runs from the southwest corner of the plot, ends against this storehouse, so the building also closes off the western boundary.
What to Look For
Look first at the washed-aggregate base on the east face of the Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse. The surface of a gravel-laden render was rinsed while still soft to expose the stones, and next to the plain boards on the other sides the difference in texture is obvious.
The eaves band is the other clear feature. It stands proud of the wall and runs all the way round, drawing a line of shadow across the white surface. A fire-safety measure doubles as the building's main decoration.
Just to the northeast stands the smaller North Archive Storehouse, with the same white plaster, the same eaves band and the same split treatment of the lower walls. Seen together, the two show storehouses of different generations built to one house style.
Visiting the South Archive Storehouse
The Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse stands within the western part of the grounds, and the interior is not open. Seeing even the exterior means entering the property, so contact the brewery in advance.
Directions and contact details are collected on the Ishikawa Sake Brewery page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Mie
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse
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Q&A
- What was the Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse used for?
- It protected the family's valuables, such as account books, deeds and heirlooms, from fire and theft.
- When was the Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse built?
- It dates from the late Meiji period, between 1898 and 1912.
- What are the features of the Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse walls?
- White plaster with a thick band under the eaves, a washed-aggregate base on the east face, weatherboarding on the other three sides, all on a cut-stone foundation.
- Can I visit the Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse?
- The interior is closed, and since it stands inside the grounds you need to contact the brewery in advance even to see the exterior.
- How big is the Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey building 7.2 metres by 5.8 metres, with a building area of 50 square metres.
Basic Information
| Name | Ishikawa Sake Brewery South Archive Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 128 Minamigakiuchi, Sakuramachi, Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture (and adjoining lots) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/3/29 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Clay-walled storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 50 square metres (7.2 metres by 5.8 metres) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (Yokkaichi City gives the owners of the 15 as Ishikawa Shuzo Co., Ltd. and a private individual) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (it stands inside the western part of the grounds; the interior is closed) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 石川酒造南文庫蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009481
- Yokkaichi City: Ishikawa Sake Brewery Main House, Great Brewhouse, Artesian Well and 15 structures in all
- https://www.city.yokkaichi.lg.jp/www/contents/1001000002649/index.html
Last verified: 2026.09.25
