About the Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney
The Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney (備中屋高祖酒造煙突, Bitchūya Kōso Shuzō Entotsu) in Ushimado, Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture, is a red-brick chimney about 15 meters tall, built around 1932 for the rice-steaming furnace of a sake brewery, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2007.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it is known around Ushimado harbor as the Aka-entotsu, the "red chimney." It rises near the center of Kouso Shuzo's founding site in the Sekimachi quarter, just north of the washing area, and clears the surrounding tiled roofs by a wide margin.
In sake brewing, rice for koji and for the fermenting mash is steamed in a large vat set over a furnace. This chimney carried that furnace's smoke up and away from the town.
Why the Chimney Matters
The Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country, and of the four registered structures it is the one where that criterion is easiest to see. From the harbor and from the lanes around it, the chimney marks where the brewery stands.
High up on its east and west faces is the name of the house brand, Senju. Lettered at that height, the chimney did double duty as furnace flue and signboard, announcing the brewer to anyone approaching.
The Main House and the Zashikigura belong to the late Edo and Meiji periods; the chimney is early Shōwa brewing equipment. On a single plot, it marks the most recent layer of roughly a century of upgrades by the same family business.
How It Is Built
The Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney is square in plan, 1.2 meters on a side at the base. The bricks are laid in English bond, with courses of long faces alternating with courses of brick ends. Because the ends tie the wall together through its thickness, the bond suits a tall, slender stack.
Iron bands wrapped around the shaft add further reinforcement. You cannot reach the base, so binoculars or a telephoto lens help if you want to read the brickwork and the bands.
The proportions are part of its character: from a footprint of only 1.2 meters square it climbs to about 15 meters.
Seeing the Chimney
The Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney stands on private company land and you cannot walk up to it. At about 15 meters, though, its top is visible from the surrounding streets and from the harbor side, which makes it the easiest of the four registered structures to see.
The Senju lettering is on the east and west faces, so for a photo of the name, look up from the east or the west. Take pictures from public roads only and do not enter the grounds.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney
- [ Kurashiki Bikan District & Korakuen Garden Tours ]
Q&A
- Where can you see the Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney from?
- It stands on private land, but at about 15 meters tall its top can be seen from the surrounding streets and the harbor side. The grounds are closed.
- How tall is the Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney?
- About 15 meters, on a square base 1.2 meters on each side.
- What is written on the Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney?
- The brand name Senju (千寿), lettered high on the east and west faces.
- What was the Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney used for?
- It served the furnace used to steam rice for brewing. It was built around 1932.
- Why is the Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney called the "red chimney"?
- It is built of red brick, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs records that it is known around Ushimado harbor as the Aka-entotsu.
Basic Information
| Name | Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney |
|---|---|
| Location | 3097-1 Ushimado, Ushimado-cho, Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2007 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Height about 15 m, base 1.2 m square |
| Owner | Kouso Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Grounds closed; visible from outside |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006417
- Cultural Heritage Online: Bitchuya Koso Sake Brewery Chimney
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/191140
- Okayama Kanko Web: Kouso Shuzo Senju-gura (Japanese)
- https://www.okayama-kanko.jp/spot/detail_15882.html
Last verified: 2026.09.25
