What Is the Fureaikan Shirafuji (Former Maruta Clinic) Utility Storehouse?
The Fureaikan Shirafuji (Former Maruta Clinic) Utility Storehouse (ふれあい館しらふじ（旧丸田医院）雑蔵, read zatsugura) is a single-storey plastered Dozo-zukuri storehouse in Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture, built around 1875 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on September 19, 2003.
It stands in the northeast corner of the estate and was used to store materials and supplies. The gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of sangawara tiles runs east to west, and the doorway is in the west gable. The footprint is 20 square metres.
Why It Was Registered: Finishing the Back of the Estate
It was registered for contributing to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits it with tidying the rear of the estate while also shaping the look of the street.
It is less conspicuous than the gatehouse out front or the three-storey storehouse on the corner, but it faces the northern street at the back of the property and keeps the outline of the estate unbroken to the last corner.
What to Look For
The walls are Shikkui plaster, except on the north side facing the street, where the lower part is clad in horizontal boards. That board skirting matches the neighbouring wall in height and texture, so storehouse and wall read as one continuous frontage.
From the road you see three horizontal bands, white plaster, dark boards and grey tiles, a quieter back-street view than the formal front of the estate.
Visiting the Utility Storehouse
The Fureaikan Shirafuji Utility Storehouse faces the northern street, so its exterior can be seen from the road. The interior is not open.
The estate is now the Shirafuji rental inn, and only overnight guests go inside the gate. No official rule on photography is published. Directions are on the Fureaikan Shirafuji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Nagano
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Fureaikan Shirafuji (Former Maruta Clinic) Utility Storehouse
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Q&A
- What was the Fureaikan Shirafuji (Former Maruta Clinic) Utility Storehouse used for?
- It was a single-storey storehouse for materials and supplies, standing in the northeast corner of the estate.
- When was the Fureaikan Shirafuji Utility Storehouse built?
- Around 1875, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs. It was registered on September 19, 2003.
- What does the Fureaikan Shirafuji Utility Storehouse look like?
- A plastered storehouse with a gabled tile roof. On the street side the lower wall is clad in horizontal boards, so it lines up with the neighbouring wall.
- Why is the Fureaikan Shirafuji Utility Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It completes the rear of the estate and shapes the streetscape, and it was registered for contributing to the historic landscape.
- Can visitors see the Fureaikan Shirafuji Utility Storehouse?
- The interior is closed, but it faces the northern street and the exterior is visible from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Fureaikan Shirafuji (Former Maruta Clinic) Utility Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 32-1 Oaza Suzaka, Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2003/9/19 (Heisei 15) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Storehouse construction, 1 storey; building area 20 square metres |
| Owner | Suzaka City |
| Public Access | Interior closed; exterior visible from the street |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Fureaikan Shirafuji (Former Maruta Clinic) Utility Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003541
Last verified: 2026.09.26
