What Is the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse?
The Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse (旧平林家住宅（一星亭）東土蔵, Kyū Hirabayashi-ke Jūtaku Ichiboshi-tei Higashi Dozō) is a two-storey earthen-walled Dozo-zukuri storehouse built in 1840 on the Hirabayashi family estate in Ikusaka Village, Nagano Prefecture, and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 5 December 2019. It covers 24 square meters.
It stands behind the main house on the north side, next to the west storehouse. Its ridge runs east to west under a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles.
Of the three storehouses on the estate, this is the earliest: 16 years older than the west storehouse and 19 years older than the south storehouse.
The Oldest Storehouse on the Estate
The Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse was registered as No. 20-0555 for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles it out as the oldest storehouse on the site and credits it with shaping the view along the old road.
At 24 square meters it is less than half the size of its neighbor. Even so, standing shoulder to shoulder with the west storehouse behind the main house, it forms part of the face the estate presents to the old road. Its firm date of 1840 is also useful: the main house and the gate can only be placed within a span of decades.
A Doorway of Fine Plasterwork
The walls of the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse are finished in white Shikkui plaster, with a skirting of Namako-kabe: flat tiles set in a grid, their joints raised in plaster, protecting the lower wall from rain splash.
The feature to look for is the doorway on the south face. It holds a pair of hinged fire doors, Tsuchido, finished in Kakegonuri, a technique in which the edges of door and frame are plastered in matching steps so that they lock together when closed and keep out fire. The door leaves carry a border in the shape of the Mokkō quince motif. The Agency praises all of this as careful plasterer's work.
The west storehouse next door has sliding earthen doors instead; the East Storehouse is the one with the double hinged pair.
Visiting the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse
The interior of the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse is closed. The village Board of Education occasionally holds guided viewings of the estate, but whether the storehouse itself is opened depends on each event.
From outside, note that the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse stands behind the main house and its doorway faces south, toward the house. To see the tiled skirting and the quince-bordered doors up close, wait for a viewing day. From beyond the grounds you will see its white walls and tiled roof beside the west storehouse.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Nagano
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse
- [ Matsumoto Castle & Kamikochi Hiking Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse built?
- In 1840. It is the oldest of the three storehouses on the estate.
- Why is the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- As the oldest storehouse on the site and a contributor to the streetscape of the old road, it was registered on 5 December 2019 as No. 20-0555.
- What should I look for on the Ichiboshi-tei east storehouse?
- The south doorway: a pair of hinged kakegonuri fire doors edged with a quince-shaped border in fine plasterwork, above a tiled namako-kabe skirting.
- How big is the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse with a building area of 24 square meters, less than half the size of the west storehouse beside it.
- Can I go inside the Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse?
- The interior is closed. The village Board of Education holds occasional guided viewings; check whether the storehouse is included.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse (旧平林家住宅（一星亭）東土蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 5497 Ikusaka Village, Higashichikuma District, Nagano Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), No. 20-0555 |
| Year Designated | Registered 5 December 2019 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey earthen-walled storehouse, tiled roof, building area 24 square meters |
| Owner | Ikusaka Village |
| Public Access | Not normally open (occasional guided viewings by the village Board of Education) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Hirabayashi Family Residence (Ichiboshi-tei) East Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013110
- Cultural Heritage Online: East Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/403048
- Koho Ikusaka, February 2025 issue (notice of the Ichiboshi-tei viewing, PDF, in Japanese)
- https://www.village.ikusaka.nagano.jp/gyousei/kouhou/pdf/2025.02.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.28
