A long drying house on the lane
The Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse (North Drying Storehouse) (古梅園北灰替所（北乾燥倉）兼倉庫, Kōbaien Kita-haigaesho (Kita-kansōgura) ken Sōko) in Tsubaicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, is the long drying house along the lane on the north side 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 29-0017). The Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse, also called the North Drying Storehouse, runs long and narrow beside the lane on the north side of the property. It is a drying house for moulded ink, which the Agency for Cultural Affairs says is used to let the sticks dry naturally after moulding.
The Agency dates it to the Taishō era: timber, 2 storeys, tiled, with a building area of 123 square metres. The walls are plastered in the ōkabe manner, and a deep earth-floored eave projects on the south side.
Lattice on one side, round windows on the other
In the low tsushi upper storey, the south side facing into the property has lattice windows, while the north side facing the lane has small round windows. Drying ink needs moving air, and windows of different shapes on the two sides set up a draught; the Agency singles this out as a thoughtful piece of ventilation design.
Kobaien explains that freshly moulded sticks are first buried in damp wood ash, moved into drier ash day by day, then bound in straw and hung from the ceiling to dry indoors for 1 to 6 months. With both "ash-changing" and "drying" in its names, the Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse has served that drying stage.
Seeing it
The Kobaien property is a private home and a working factory, and the interior of the Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse (North Drying Storehouse) is not open. Its exterior can be seen from the lane along the north side of the plot. Look for the small round windows along the upper floor of the north wall.
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 North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse used for?
- Drying moulded ink sticks naturally.
- What is unusual about the windows of the Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse?
- Lattice windows face south and small round windows face the lane to the north, helping ventilation.
- How large is the Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse?
- A 2-storey timber building of 123 square metres.
- Can visitors see the Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse (North Drying Storehouse)?
- The interior is not open, but the exterior can be seen from the lane to the north.
- When was the Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse (North Drying Storehouse) registered as a cultural property?
- On 1998/01/16, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 29-0017.
Basic Information
| Name | Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse (North Drying Storehouse) (古梅園北灰替所（北乾燥倉）兼倉庫) |
|---|---|
| Location | 7 Tsubakiicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 29-0017 |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/01/16 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 2 storeys, tiled roof; building area 123 square metres |
| Owner | Kobaien Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior not open; exterior visible from the lane to the north |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse (North Drying Storehouse)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000465
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kobaien North Ash-Changing House and Warehouse (North Drying Storehouse)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/147075
- 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
