The Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse
The Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse (井上家住宅米蔵, Inoue-ke Jūtaku Komegura) is an earthen-walled storehouse built in 1914 beside the river on the east side of the Inoue family estate in Tsurugawachi-machi, Hita City, Oita Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 31 January 2003.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs it stands north of the corner storehouse and is said to have been built at the same time as the main house. It has a Sangawara-buki pantile roof and a building area of 110 square metres, and the garden's stone wall joins it on the north.
The national database disagrees with itself on the number of floors: the structure field says 2 storeys, while the written description calls it single-storey. We have not been able to check on site, so we leave the question open.
Finish and Registration
The exterior of the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse is rendered in Shikkui lime plaster above a Namako-kabe tile dado, matching the brewery and the corner storehouse and giving the riverside row a single look.
What the Agency calls unusual is the inside: the walls are finished in plaster, and so is the ceiling, a level of care it regards as rare for a rice store.
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. It is said to belong to the 1914 building campaign that produced the main house.
The Storehouse and the River
The position of the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse explains a lot about the estate. The Agency's description notes a flight of steps down to the river between it and the storehouse to the south, suggesting that goods were carried by riverboat. It is easy to picture rice being loaded straight from the store onto the water.
The river runs below the east edge of the property, which is why the stone wall continuing north from the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse stands on a base of rounded river stones. Storehouse and wall together make up the estate's riverside face.
Visiting the Rice Storehouse
The rice storehouse stands within a private residence, and there is no published arrangement for viewing its plastered interior.
We could not confirm where the riverside exterior can be seen from. Do not go down to the riverbank or onto the grounds. Directions are on the Inoue Family Residence page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse built?
- In 1914 (Taishō 3), reportedly at the same time as the main house. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 31 January 2003.
- What is unusual about the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse?
- Its interior walls and ceiling are both finished in lime plaster, which the Agency for Cultural Affairs describes as rare.
- Is the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse single-storey or 2-storey?
- The national database gives both: 2 storeys in the structure field and single-storey in the description. Its building area is 110 square metres.
- Can visitors see the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse?
- It stands on a private estate, and no interior viewing is offered.
- How is the Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse connected to the river?
- A flight of steps down to the river lies between it and the storehouse to the south, suggesting goods were carried by riverboat.
Basic Information
| Name | Inoue Family Residence Rice Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 4279 Tsurugawachi-machi, Hita City, Oita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2003/1/31 (Heisei 15) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Dozo-zukuri, tiled roof, building area 110 square metres (2 storeys in the structure field, single-storey in the description) |
| Owner | Not disclosed (not listed in the national database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 井上家住宅米蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003176
- Cultural Heritage Online: 井上家住宅米蔵
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/179396
- Hita City: List of Cultural Properties
- https://www.city.hita.oita.jp/soshiki/29/2199.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
