Dairinji Temple Storehouse: A Merchant's Kura Moved into the Temple
South of the living quarters at Dairinji stands a two-storey plastered storehouse set on a north-south axis. It did not begin as a temple building. It was the family storehouse of the Mikuni household, who ran a blacksmith's trade on the neighboring lot, and it was moved here in 1986 by the technique of hikiya, in which a whole structure is shifted rather than demolished and rebuilt. Its original construction dates from 1928.
The storehouse is built with a separately framed roof and a lean-to added on the west face. Its walls are finished in white plaster, but the lower wall is worked as namako-kabe, a lattice of raised white joints over dark tiles, while the drip courses use black plaster, so that the surface plays light against dark.
Why the Storehouse Matters
Dairinji Storehouse was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on December 5, 2019, under the criterion of serving as a model of design. Its recognition rests on the quality of its plasterwork and the survival of a well-made secular storehouse within a temple setting.
The finest touch is on the small eaves, where a plasterer worked kote-e, raised relief pictures modeled in plaster, showing a crane and a tortoise, an auspicious pair long associated with long life. These reliefs, together with the black-and-white contrast of the walls, mark the building as the work of a skilled hand and repay a close look.
What to Notice on a Visit
Look at the walls before anything else. The namako-kabe lattice on the lower wall and the black plaster of the drip courses are a deliberate contrast, and the crane-and-tortoise plaster reliefs on the small eaves are the details to seek out. Kote-e of this quality is a craft in its own right.
It is worth remembering that this was once a tradesman's storehouse, carried here intact. Its presence in the grounds shows how a working town building could be preserved by moving it. As part of a living temple, viewing is from outside.
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Q&A
- Was this storehouse always part of the temple?
- No. It was the storehouse of the Mikuni family, blacksmiths on the neighboring lot, and was moved into the temple grounds in 1986 by the hikiya relocation technique.
- What is namako-kabe?
- It is a wall finish in which dark tiles are set with raised white plaster joints in a lattice, giving a durable and decorative lower wall.
- What are the plaster pictures on the eaves?
- They are kote-e, relief images modeled in plaster. Here they depict a crane and a tortoise, a traditional emblem of long life.
- How old is the building?
- It was built in 1928 and moved to its present spot in 1986.
- Can visitors go inside?
- It is a storehouse in a working temple. The exterior and its plasterwork can be appreciated; interior access is not part of a normal visit.
Basic Information
| Name | Dairinji Temple Storehouse (大輪寺土蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2067-3 Higashi-honchō, Tainai City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (buildings) |
| Registered | December 5, 2019 |
| Built | 1928 (Shōwa 3); relocated 1986 |
| Count | 1 building |
| Structure | Plastered storehouse, two storeys, tile roof; floor area approx. 35 m² |
| Owner | Dairinji (religious corporation) |
| Access | South of the kuri; exterior viewing |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties — Agency for Cultural Affairs
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013082
- Cultural Heritage Online — Dairinji Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/404641
- Dairinji official site — grounds guide
- https://dairin-ji.com/keidai/
- Wikipedia — Dairinji (Tainai)
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E8%BC%AA%E5%AF%BA_(%E8%83%8E%E5%86%85%E5%B8%82)
Last verified: 2026.07.11