A Storehouse That Opened Its Doors
At the north of the compound stands a single-storey plaster storehouse of about 150 square metres, once used for rice and now the busiest building on the site. In 2020 it reopened, after renovation, as a fermentation museum and cafe, and for most visitors it is the front door to the whole property.
Even remade for the public, the building keeps its working character. It runs east to west under a gabled pantile roof, with a lean-to on the south forming the entrance. The upper part of that lean-to carries namako-kabe, the black-and-white lattice of tile and plaster set at the height of a second-floor window, and the east gable is decorated with the character for good fortune in lime. Step inside and the roof opens above you: a single room with an earthen floor and a king-post truss left fully in view.
From Storage to Gathering Place
The rice storehouse is the most recent of the buildings, its fabric dating from the early Shōwa period between 1926 and 1945, with the conservation work completed in 2020. That renovation was the first stage of a long municipal plan: the city of Nagaoka acquired the land and buildings in 2017 and intends to restore the remaining structures and the garden over roughly a decade.
Listed on the national register in 2021 for its part in the historic landscape, the building now earns its keep in a second way. A cafe inside serves rice balls and local fermented dishes, and the space hosts small concerts and events, turning a plain grey storehouse into the social centre of Settaya.
Making It Your First Stop
Begin here. The museum doubles as the information point for the compound, and the exposed truss overhead is worth a look up before you order. The building and its interior, along with the grounds and the celebrated relief storehouse nearby, can be seen without charge.
The cafe keeps regular hours through the week with a weekly closing day, and the wider compound opens for guided visits on weekends and holidays. From here it is an easy walk to the main house, where interior tours begin.
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Q&A
- What is the rice storehouse used for now?
- Since 2020 it has served as a fermentation museum and cafe, and it acts as the information hub and usual starting point for a visit to the compound.
- What is namako-kabe?
- It is a wall finish of square tiles set in a lattice and jointed with raised white plaster, named for its resemblance to a sea cucumber. Here it decorates the upper lean-to.
- What can I eat there?
- The cafe inside serves rice balls and dishes built around local fermented foods, reflecting Settaya's long history as a brewing town.
- Is there an admission charge?
- The building, its interior and the surrounding grounds can be seen without charge; the cafe operates as a normal cafe.
- What is the king-post truss overhead?
- It is a timber roof frame with a central vertical post carrying the ridge, left exposed inside the storehouse so the structure is visible from below.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kina Saffron Sake Manufacturing, Rice Storehouse (旧機那サフラン酒製造本舗米蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1026, Settaya 4-chōme, Nagaoka, Niigata |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (registered 4 February 2021) |
| Construction | Early Shōwa (1926–1945); renovated 2020 |
| Structure | Single-storey plaster storehouse, pantile roof; building area approx. 150 m² |
| Count | 1 building |
| Owner | City of Nagaoka |
| Access | Open as a fermentation museum and cafe; interior viewable without charge |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database — Rice Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013527
- City of Nagaoka, Former Kina Saffron Sake Manufacturing
- https://www.city.nagaoka.niigata.jp/kankou/miru/brewing/kina-saffron.html
- Settaya-Miyauchi, Kina Saffron Sake
- https://settaya-miyauchi.jp/kinasaffron/
- Nagaoka Tourism Navigator, Kina Saffron Sake
- https://nagaoka-navi.or.jp/spot/5880
Last verified: 2026.07.09