Set at Right Angles to the First Storehouse
The Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse (辰巳家住宅二の蔵, Tatsumi-ke Jūtaku Ni-no-kura) is a two-story Dozo-zukuri storehouse built in 1915 in Hōryūji-nishi, Ikaruga Town, Nara Prefecture, and registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 24, 2001. It stands in the northwest quarter of the Tatsumi estate, directly south of the First Storehouse, with its ridge turned at a right angle to its neighbor.
It has a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof of Sangawara-buki pan tiles and a building area of 69 square meters, the largest of the estate's six storehouses. The official description calls it nearly identical to the First Storehouse in size and form.
An Eave That Doubles as a Corridor
A tiled eave runs along the east side of the Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse. The space beneath it is left open and serves as a covered passage from the main house to the First Storehouse at the northwest corner.
Storehouses were usually kept apart from the main house to protect their contents from fire, which made fetching things on a rainy day a chore. This eave bridges that gap with a roof. It is included in the registration.
The Kote-e Above the Gable Window
What the official description singles out as a sign of care is the Kote-e around the window in the gable end. Kote-e is plaster relief modeled with a trowel by a plasterer, and here it shows takara-zukushi, an assembly of auspicious treasures such as the magic mallet and the wish-granting jewel. It is a fitting motif for a building meant to hold a family's valuables.
The storehouse was registered, as number 29-0050, as a structure that would be difficult to reproduce. The relief work shows why: kote-e depends almost entirely on the skill of an individual plasterer, and adding it to a utilitarian building says something about how seriously the Tatsumi family took the estate they were building in 1915.
Visiting
The Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse stands inside the northwest quarter, behind the First Storehouse that faces the north lane. It has not been confirmed that the relief-decorated gable is visible from any public lane, so plan on not seeing it.
The estate is a private home. As of September 2026 no public opening has been announced and the grounds are closed. Directions to the estate are on the Tatsumi Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When was the Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse built?
- It was built in 1915 and registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 24, 2001.
- How big is the Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse?
- It is a 2-story clay-walled storehouse with a building area of 69 square meters, the largest of the six storehouses on the estate.
- What does the kote-e on the Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse show?
- The plaster relief around the gable window depicts takara-zukushi, a group of auspicious treasures.
- What is the eave of the Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse used for?
- The tiled eave on the east side shelters an open passage that runs from the main house to the First Storehouse.
- Can I see the kote-e on the Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse?
- It is inside a private residence, no opening had been announced as of September 2026, and it is not confirmed to be visible from outside.
Basic Information
| Name | Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse (辰巳家住宅二の蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-1826-1 Hōryūji-nishi, Ikaruga-chō, Ikoma-gun, Nara Prefecture, and adjoining lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2001 (registered April 24, 2001) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-story clay-walled storehouse, tiled roof; building area 69 square meters (with the east eave attached to the registration) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (no opening announced as of 2026) |
References
- Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002165
- Tatsumi Family Residence Second Storehouse (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/148775
- Tatsumi Family Residence First Storehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002164
Last verified: 2026.09.15
