The Inoue Family Residence Storehouse
The Inoue Family Residence Storehouse (井上家住宅土蔵, Inoue-ke Jūtaku Dozō) is an earthen-walled storehouse built in 1831 at the southeast corner of the Inoue family estate in Tsurugawachi-machi, Hita City, Oita Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 31 January 2003.
The national database records a 2-storey Dozo-zukuri building with a tiled roof and a building area of 45 square metres, joined to the east end of the sake brewery. The Agency for Cultural Affairs states plainly that it is the oldest of the Inoue buildings, which makes it the starting point for the whole estate.
Structure and Registration
The Inoue Family Residence Storehouse has a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles, and like the brewery next door it wears a dado of Namako-kabe tile cladding. It is less than half the brewery's size, but the matching finish makes the pair read as one long storehouse.
The surprise is upstairs. The second floor of the Inoue Family Residence Storehouse has a proper ceiling and tatami mats, fitted out as a Zashiki reception room. This was a storehouse with a room for people, not only for goods.
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, anchoring the southeast corner of the estate alongside the later brewery and rice storehouse.
What to Look For
If you can see the Inoue Family Residence Storehouse from outside, watch the junction with the brewery. The namako dado runs on, so look for where the roofline changes: that is the seam between two buildings put up 16 years apart.
The storehouse sits at a corner with the rice storehouse to its north and a river below the estate to the east. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, a flight of steps near the rice storehouse leads down to the water, suggesting that goods once travelled by riverboat.
Visiting the Storehouse
The storehouse stands within a private residence, and there is no published arrangement for viewing the interior, including the upstairs room.
We could not confirm where the exterior can be seen from. Stay off the private lane and the grounds, and view from the public road. Directions are on the Inoue Family Residence page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Inoue Family Residence Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Inoue Family Residence Storehouse built?
- In 1831 (Tenpō 2), making it the oldest Inoue building. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 31 January 2003.
- How big is the Inoue Family Residence Storehouse?
- It is a 2-storey dozo-zukuri storehouse with a gabled pantile roof and a building area of 45 square metres.
- What is unusual about the upper floor of the Inoue Family Residence Storehouse?
- It has a ceiling and tatami mats and is fitted out as a zashiki reception room.
- Can visitors go inside the Inoue Family Residence Storehouse?
- No. It stands on a private estate, and no interior viewing is offered.
- Where is the Inoue Family Residence Storehouse on the estate?
- At the southeast corner, joined to the east end of the sake brewery, with the rice storehouse to its north.
Basic Information
| Name | Inoue Family Residence 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, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 45 square metres |
| 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: 井上家住宅土蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003175
- Hita City: List of Cultural Properties
- https://www.city.hita.oita.jp/soshiki/29/2199.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
