About Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3
Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 (長谷園展示室三, Nagatani-en Tenjishitsu San) is a 2-story timber building of the Meiji period (1868 to 1912) on the lane at the Nagatani-en pottery in Marubashira, Iga City, Mie Prefecture; once a rice store, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 26 March 2015.
Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 stands south of the single-story Exhibition Room 2, parallel to it. It has a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles with lean-to eaves all round, and a building area of 105 square meters. It was renovated in 2003 and now serves as a gallery.
Walking south along the lane, you pass Exhibition Room 1 beside the main house, then Exhibition Room 2, then this building, the southernmost of the three.
A frame worn on the outside
The first thing you notice about Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 is the grid of posts and beams standing out against white plaster. The walls are built in the Shinkabe manner, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the timber frame is deliberately left visible as part of the design. Unlike a storehouse, where the posts disappear inside thick earthen walls, here the structure itself becomes the pattern of the facade.
There are windows on every side. Where the Agency's note on Exhibition Room 1 mentions only the window in its south gable, Exhibition Room 3 has openings on all sides.
Inside, each floor is a single undivided room, the open floor space of a building made to hold rice.
Why Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 is registered
Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency points to its past as a rice store and to its height, which varies the line of the street.
Beside the low Exhibition Room 2 its two stories stand out. Moving south from the thatched main house, the roofline rises and falls: 2-story Exhibition Room 1, single-story Exhibition Room 2, 2-story Exhibition Room 3. Mie Prefecture values the Nagatani-en buildings for surviving as built between the Meiji and Taisho eras, and these three galleries carry that character along the street.
Visiting Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3
Nagatani-en says its walking area includes three shop buildings, which appear to be Exhibition Rooms 1 to 3 on the lane. Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 can be entered free of charge during opening hours (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Tuesdays but open on national holidays). These details were checked on the official Nagatani-en website and other sources on 5 October 2026 and may change.
For the exterior, stand on the lane where you can see it alongside Exhibition Room 2: the exposed timber grid, the windows on each face, and the lean-to eaves all come into view together. Access to the upper floor is unconfirmed. Directions are on the Nagatani-en page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Mie
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3
- [ Ise Grand Shrine & Shima Bay Cruise Tours ]
Q&A
- What was Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 originally used for?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs records that it was a rice store, among other uses. It was renovated in 2003 and is now a gallery.
- What is distinctive about the exterior of Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3?
- Its plastered walls leave the posts and beams visible as a design feature, with windows on every side and lean-to eaves around the base.
- Can I go inside Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3?
- Yes, free of charge during opening hours, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Tuesdays. Access to the upper floor is unconfirmed.
- Where is Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3?
- On the lane at Nagatani-en, parallel to and south of Exhibition Room 2. It is the southernmost of the three exhibition rooms.
- When did Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 26 March 2015. It dates from the Meiji period (1868 to 1912).
Basic Information
| Name | Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 |
|---|---|
| Location | 568-4 Marubashira, Iga City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 26 March 2015 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 105 square meters (2-story timber, gabled pantile roof) |
| Owner | Not listed (Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Open, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Tuesdays, free admission |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010471
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 3 (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/211517
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Nagatani-en Exhibition Room 2 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010470
- Mie Prefecture: Summary of the recommended properties (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.mie.lg.jp/common/content/000371116.pdf
- Iga City Digital Museum: Nagatani-en buildings and kiln (Japanese)
- https://adeac.jp/iga-city/catalog/mp404530-100040
- Nagatani-en: Shop information (Japanese)
- https://igamono.co.jp/at-first/shop/
- Mie Prefecture Machikado Museum: Iga-yaki no Sato Nagatani-en (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.pref.mie.lg.jp/Miebunka/detail?cls=mica_col06&pkey=0000000062
Last verified: 2026.10.05
