A Brick Tank That Ran the Household Water
Nakano Family Residence Water Tank (中野家住宅水槽, Nakano-ke Jūtaku Suisō) is a Taishō-era (1912–1926) brick water tank on the Nakano family estate in Ifuku, Tara Town, Saga Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 May 2017. It stands at the north-west corner of the grounds and occupies 3.3 square metres.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives its size as 1.5 metres wide, 2.2 metres deep and 2.0 metres high. It has two levels: the upper one is a tank 1.0 metres deep, and the lower one opens to the east through an arch.
Why It Was Registered
The Nakano Family Residence Water Tank was registered under the criterion for contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency describes how water drawn from the upper intake was stored here and then sent to each building by water pressure, and cites it as an example of a modern, private water supply.
Store water high, and gravity will push it down to wherever it is needed. This tank was the high point of the Nakano system, the relay between the brick cisterns in the bank and the rooms of the house. It belongs to an era when piped mains were still rare in the Japanese countryside and a well-off household could build its own supply.
What to Look For
The interest of the Nakano Family Residence Water Tank lies in its two levels with two different jobs: water held above, an arched opening below. It is a small structure, but it puts the bricklayer's arch to work in the everyday service of a house.
The upper and lower intakes on the same estate are also brick, with arched openings. Built in the same material and the same form, the three pieces read as a single, planned water system.
Visiting the Water Tank
The Nakano Family Residence Water Tank stands inside a private estate and is not open to the public. The grounds cannot be entered, and its visibility from the road has not been confirmed. The only opportunities to see it are events held with the owners' cooperation.
No policy on photography has been published. The history of the estate as a whole is set out on the Nakano Family Residence page.
Q&A
- What is the Nakano Family Residence Water Tank?
- A Taishō-era brick water tank at the north-west corner of the Nakano family estate. Water drawn from the upper intake was stored here and supplied to the buildings by water pressure.
- How big is the Nakano Family Residence Water Tank?
- 1.5 metres wide, 2.2 metres deep and 2.0 metres high, occupying 3.3 square metres. The upper level is a tank 1.0 metres deep.
- What is in the lower level of the Nakano Family Residence Water Tank?
- The lower level opens to the east through a brick arch.
- Why was the Nakano Family Residence Water Tank registered?
- As an example of a modern private water supply contributing to the historic landscape. It was registered on 2 May 2017.
- Can I see the Nakano Family Residence Water Tank?
- It stands on private land and is not open to the public. Viewing is possible only at events held with the owners' cooperation.
Basic Information
| Name | Nakano Family Residence Water Tank (中野家住宅水槽) |
|---|---|
| Location | Ko 1978, Oaza Ifuku, Tara Town, Fujitsu District, Saga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration number 41-0100 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/5/2 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Brick, area 3.3 square metres; 1.5 metres wide, 2.2 metres deep, 2.0 metres high; upper tank 1.0 metres deep |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (private residence kept by the Nakano family) |
| Public Access | Private residence, not open to the public; no entry to the grounds |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Nakano Family Residence Water Tank
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011597
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Nakano Family Residence Upper Water Intake
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011598
Last verified: 2026.09.25
