Former Koshi Family Residence Outer Storehouse

The Freestanding Storehouse at the Back

The Former Koshi Family Residence Outer Storehouse (旧越家住宅外蔵) is a storehouse of the late Meiji period in Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on September 19, 2003 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a 2-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse with a tiled roof and a building area of 33 square metres; registration number 20-0140.

A Storehouse Southwest of the House

The Former Koshi Family Residence Outer Storehouse stands southwest of the main house (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Unlike the Inner Storehouse it is freestanding. It is a 2-storey gabled storehouse with a tiled roof, its ridge running north to south and its entrance on the long side, with a small roof projecting over the doorway on the east face.

It stands on a foundation of river cobbles, common in the area, and its walls are finished in white plaster, with the lower part sheathed in iron sheet (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The first-floor-up windows are fitted with iron bars.

The Agency dates it to late Meiji. Suzaka City's description dates the southern of the two storehouses behind the house to early Meiji and the northern one to the Taisho era, after Koshi Jusaburo took over the property, which does not match the Agency's dating.

Why It Was Registered

It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Agency describes the exterior as plain, but notes that with the Inner Storehouse it gives the back of the property its shape.

What to Look For

White plaster above and iron sheet below give the Outer Storehouse its character (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Look for the small roof over the east doorway, the barred windows on the upper floor and the cobble foundation, all plain, working details. Compare it with the rough-plastered Inner Storehouse to see how differently two storehouses on one property could be finished.

Visiting

The Outer Storehouse is at the back of the property, southwest of the main house. No official information on access to its interior was found. Opening hours and directions are on the Former Koshi Family Residence page.