A storehouse drawn on an old plan
Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse is a late Edo period earthen-walled store in Hase, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, dated to the second half of the eighteenth century and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2008.
It stands southeast of the Main Hall: 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres, two storeys, 30 square metres of floor area. A gabled pantiled roof sits independently over the walls, double doors open on the north face, and a small tiled porch projects in front of them.
The walls are boarded, with plaster left visible in places. The south side rises from a high stone retaining wall and forms one corner of the compound as seen from below.
A single drawing fixed the date
No ridge tablet or ink inscription giving a date has been found in Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse. It is nevertheless assigned to the second half of the eighteenth century, because the store appears on a drawing of the precinct made in 1800. If it stood then, it was built before then.
The same drawing was used to date the Goma Hall. That hall is absent from it, so it postdates 1800; this store is present, so it predates 1800. One sheet of paper sorts the buildings of the precinct into earlier and later.
The listing cites contribution to the historic landscape. Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse was not listed as an object to be studied alone but as one of the group of stores ranged around the Priests' Quarters.
The porch in front of the doors
A small roofed porch stands before the doors on the north face of Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse. It keeps rain off while goods are carried in and out and stops the doors themselves from getting wet. The Rice Storehouse nearby has the same feature, and comparing the two shows the difference in their scale.
The wall finish repays attention. Rather than plastering the whole surface, the builders boarded it and left plaster showing in parts. The Treasure Storehouse, finished predominantly in white plaster, makes the contrast clear: even stores were ranked.
Walk round to the south and the height of the stone base becomes apparent. Seen from the slope below, wall and stonework rise as though they were a single surface.
Seeing Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse
The exterior of Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse is visible at any time from the forecourt in front of the Priests' Quarters. The north face with its porch and doors is the front, so the whole building is in view from that side.
The interior is not opened. Since the store faces the Rice Storehouse across the path to the Priests' Quarters, standing in the middle of that path puts one store on either hand.
The temple website gives no rule on photography. Directions and reception hours are on the Chokokuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- How old is Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse?
- No tablet survives, but the store appears on a precinct drawing of 1800, so it is dated to the second half of the eighteenth century.
- What is the porch on Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse for?
- It is a small roofed projection in front of the doors that keeps rain off goods being moved and protects the doors themselves.
- Where is Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse?
- Southeast of the Main Hall, facing the Rice Storehouse across the path that leads to the front of the Priests' Quarters.
- Can visitors enter Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse?
- No. The interior is not opened, but the exterior can be seen from the forecourt at any time.
- How are the walls of Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse finished?
- They are boarded, with plaster left visible in places, unlike the Treasure Storehouse whose surface is predominantly white plaster.
Basic Information
| Name | Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 13 Hase Toyo, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2008 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres, floor area 30 square metres |
| Owner | Chokokuji Temple, a religious corporation |
| Public Access | Exterior only; the interior is not open |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Chokokuji Temple Nakanokura Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006816
- Sado City: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, Chokokuji Temple
- https://www.city.sado.niigata.jp/site/bunkazai/4964.html
- Chokokuji Temple: Visitor Information
- https://sado-choukokuji.jp/guidance/
Last verified: 2026.09.14
