About Nagatani-en Workshop 2
Nagatani-en Workshop 2 (長谷園工房二, Nagatani-en Kobo Ni) is a large single-story timber workshop of the Taisho period (1912 to 1926) toward the back of the workshop area of the Nagatani-en pottery in Marubashira, Iga City, Mie Prefecture, and it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 26 March 2015.
Nagatani-en Workshop 2 is L-shaped in plan and covers 233 square meters, the largest building area among the fourteen registered Nagatani-en properties. It has a pantile roof, and its walls, like those of Workshop 1 from the same period, are clad in vertical boards, with a row of windows along the south side to light the work.
An L-shaped plan of five rooms
The interior of Nagatani-en Workshop 2 is divided into five rooms used as work spaces and storage. Work rooms and storerooms are set along both arms of the L, bringing production and storage together under one roof.
Workshop 1 is a single bright room; Workshop 2 was the bigger production base, with its spaces divided by task. Its position at the back of the workshop area, away from the lane, reads as a deliberate choice to keep work and storage together.
A king post truss over a wide span
The structural interest of Nagatani-en Workshop 2 lies in its roof. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records that the roof is carried on King post truss frames, stiffened with knee braces and horizontal corner braces, to span a wide interior.
A king post truss is a triangle: two rafters meet at the apex, a tie beam runs between their feet, and a single vertical post links the apex to the middle of the tie. Triangulating the members lets a roof cross a wide space without interior posts. Knee braces stiffen the corners between posts and beams, and the horizontal braces keep the frame from racking.
Compared with Exhibition Room 2, which has a traditional Japanese roof frame, Workshop 2 adopts a Western-style truss. It was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country, and the Agency calls it a large workshop built to support a wide span.
Visiting Nagatani-en Workshop 2
Nagatani-en Workshop 2 stands toward the back of the workshop area, and the official guide does not say if the interior is open. The truss can only be seen from inside.
Opening hours and directions are on the Nagatani-en page. From outside, look for the vertical board walls it shares with Workshop 1 and the long run of south windows.
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Q&A
- How big is Nagatani-en Workshop 2?
- It covers 233 square meters, the largest building area of the fourteen registered Nagatani-en properties, and is L-shaped in plan.
- How is the roof of Nagatani-en Workshop 2 built?
- It rests on king post trusses stiffened with knee braces and horizontal corner braces to span a wide interior.
- What was Nagatani-en Workshop 2 used for?
- Its interior was divided into five rooms used as work spaces and storage.
- Can visitors go inside Nagatani-en Workshop 2?
- It stands toward the back of the workshop area, and the official guide does not say if the interior is open.
- When did Nagatani-en Workshop 2 become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 26 March 2015. It was built in the Taisho period (1912 to 1926).
Basic Information
| Name | Nagatani-en Workshop 2 |
|---|---|
| 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 233 square meters (1-story timber, pantile roof) |
| Owner | Not listed (Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Interior access unconfirmed |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Nagatani-en Workshop 2 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010473
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nagatani-en Workshop 2 (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/289439
- 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/
Last verified: 2026.10.05
