The drying house on the western edge
The Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse (West Drying Storehouse) (古梅園西灰替倉（西乾燥倉）, Kōbaien Nishi-haigaegura (Nishi-kansōgura)) in Tsubaicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, is the drying house on the western edge of the property at Kobaien, the sumi ink maker founded in 1577; it was built in the Taishō era (1912 to 1925) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 1998/01/16 (number 29-0019). The Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse, also called the West Drying Storehouse, stands on the western edge of the property, a plastered building with a low tsushi upper storey. It is used for letting moulded ink dry naturally. A hooded doorway opens on the east side, and a tall board fence runs on from the south gable.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the Taishō era: timber, 2 storeys, tiled, with a building area of 47 square metres.
Boards and plaster facing the lane
The west side faces a lane. On the ground floor, boarding covers the wall up to and around the window frames; above, small windows pierce plain plaster. The mix of boarding below, white wall above and small openings gives the exterior what the Agency calls its varied appearance.
Paired in name with the north ash-changing house, the Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse is one of the buildings that served the ash-drying and indoor drying stages Kobaien describes. Its door is on the east side, facing into the works rather than the lane.
Seeing it
The Kobaien property is a private home and a working factory, and the interior of the Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse (West Drying Storehouse) is not open. Its exterior can be seen from the lane along the west side of the plot. The boarded ground floor and the small windows in the plaster above are easy to pick out.
Shop hours, how to book a factory visit and directions from the station are on the Kobaien page.
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Q&A
- What is the Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse for?
- Letting moulded ink sticks dry naturally.
- What does the Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse look like from the lane?
- A boarded ground floor including the window frames, with small windows in the plastered upper storey.
- How large is the Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse?
- A 2-storey timber building of 47 square metres.
- Can visitors see the Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse (West Drying Storehouse)?
- The interior is not open, but the exterior can be seen from the lane to the west.
- When was the Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse (West Drying Storehouse) registered as a cultural property?
- On 1998/01/16, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 29-0019.
Basic Information
| Name | Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse (West Drying Storehouse) (古梅園西灰替倉（西乾燥倉）) |
|---|---|
| Location | 8-2 Tsubakiicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 29-0019 |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/01/16 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 2 storeys, tiled roof; building area 47 square metres |
| Owner | Kobaien Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior not open; exterior visible from the lane to the west |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse (West Drying Storehouse)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000467
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kobaien West Ash-Changing Storehouse (West Drying Storehouse)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/113547
- Kobaien Co., Ltd. — Company profile and opening hours
- https://kobaien.jp/profile.html
- Kobaien Co., Ltd. — How sumi is made
- https://kobaien.jp/sumitanjyo.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
