What Is the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse?
The Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse (片倉家住宅南の蔵, Katakura-ke Jūtaku Minami no Kura) is a two-storey clay-walled storehouse built in the early Meiji period on the Katakura homestead in Kawagishikami, Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 8 July 1999. It covers 29 square meters.
It stands just south of the Miso Storehouse, at the southern end of the row of three storehouses west of the main house.
The Widest Store in the Row
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse as a store for everyday household wares: the trays, lacquer bowls, plates and dishes used at daily meals and on special occasions.
All three storehouses in the row are 2.5 ken deep, but the South Storehouse is 3.5 ken wide (about 6.4 meters), the widest of them. The West Storehouse is 3 ken wide and the Miso Storehouse a little under 3 at its front.
Keeping the depth constant and varying only the width makes the three read as a single row, with the South Storehouse presenting the broadest face.
Angled to the Lane, One Step Lower
The Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse is turned slightly to follow a lane that bends beside the homestead, so its ridge does not line up exactly with the two storehouses to the north.
Its roof is an Okiyane that the agency describes as laid with teppeiseki stone slabs, and it sits one step lower than the roofs of its neighbors. Seen from outside, the rooflines of the row step down toward the south.
The structure field of the database lists the roof as metal sheet, which conflicts with that description. Published sources do not show the current covering.
Visiting the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse
The Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse belongs to Katakura Industries and is not open to the public. The grounds and the interior are closed.
Because it stands along the lane, the exterior can be seen from the public road, and the angled ridge and lower roof are easiest to read from there. Do not enter the property, and take photographs from the road. Directions and the site layout are on the Katakura Family Residence page.
Q&A
- What was kept in the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse?
- Everyday household wares such as tableware, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
- How big is the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse?
- 3.5 ken wide and 2.5 ken deep, with a building area of 29 square meters. It is the widest of the three storehouses west of the main house.
- What should I look for at the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse?
- Its ridge turned to follow the bending lane, and its detached roof set one step lower than those of its neighbors.
- When did the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 8 July 1999, as registration no. 20-0017, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Can I visit the Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse?
- The interior and grounds are closed, but the exterior can be seen from the public lane beside it.
Basic Information
| Name | Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse (片倉家住宅南の蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-21-6 Kawagishikami, Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), registration no. 20-0017 |
| Year Designated | Registered 8 July 1999 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey dozo-zukuri storehouse, metal sheet roof (stone-slab okiyane in the agency description), building area 29 square meters |
| Owner | Katakura Industries Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Not open to the public |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Katakura Family Residence South Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001191
- List of Cultural Properties (Okaya City, PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.okaya.lg.jp/material/files/group/26/10297.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.27
