About the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse
The Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse (松本家住宅道具蔵, Matsumoto-ke Jūtaku Dōgugura) is a two-storey clay-walled storehouse of the early Showa period (1926 to 1945) south-east of the main house of the Matsumoto estate in Kodera, Koryo Town, Nara Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2017.
The Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse is long and narrow, 8.2 by 3.9 metres, with a pantiled roof and a building area of 38 m² including a small one-storey timber part. It was renovated in 1985.
A Store for Tableware
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, this storehouse held tableware and other household utensils. A family that entertained large numbers of guests at weddings and memorial services needed trays, bowls and dishes for everyone, and keeping a whole storehouse just for them says a good deal about the scale of hospitality expected.
The Agency presents it as a record of how a wealthy farming family lived, and it was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Rooms Within a Storehouse
Inside, the ground floor of the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse is divided into three rooms, and the upper floor into two, one at the south end and one running north from the middle. Dividing a storehouse like this let different sets of utensils, or those for different seasons, be kept apart.
A toilet projects from the back. Storehouses rarely have one, which suggests people spent long hours working around here, perhaps preparing for banquets.
To the north are the servants' quarters, linked to it by a projecting passage between the inner and outer parts of the household, and along the east side runs the southeast barn. The south-east of the estate was its service quarter, a cluster of stores, barns and staff rooms.
Seeing the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse
The Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse belongs to a private home and its interior is not open.
Tucked behind the main house and screened on the east by the southeast barn, it is difficult to see from the road. Please do not look into the grounds. Directions are on the Matsumoto Family Residence (Koryo Town) page.
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Q&A
- When was the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse built?
- The national database dates it to the early Showa period (1926 to 1945). It was renovated in 1985.
- What was kept in the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse?
- Tableware and other household utensils, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
- How big is the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse?
- A two-storey clay storehouse with a small timber part, 8.2 by 3.9 metres, with a building area of 38 m².
- How is the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse laid out inside?
- Three rooms downstairs and two upstairs, with a toilet projecting at the back.
- Can I visit the Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse?
- No. It is private and stands deep inside the estate, so it can hardly be seen from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse (松本家住宅道具蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 308 Kodera, Koryo-cho, Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2017 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 38 m² (8.2 m by 3.9 m) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private home; exterior from the road) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 松本家住宅道具蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012000
- Cultural Heritage Online: 松本家住宅道具蔵 (Matsumoto Family Residence Utensil Storehouse)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/247221
- Nara Prefecture: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in Nara (PDF)
- https://www.pref.nara.lg.jp/documents/22241/bunkazaiitiran.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.30
