What the Chishinkan Storehouse Is
The Chishinkan Storehouse (知新館土蔵, Chishinkan dozō) is a two-storey fireproof storehouse in Minamishinza, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, dated to 1937 by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1998.
Among the buildings of the house rebuilt on the birthplace of Hiranuma Kiichirō, this is the thick-walled Dozo-zukuri storehouse that faces the street. It covers 45 square metres and has a Sangawara-buki tiled roof; the agency calls it a comparatively tall two-storey building. While the single-storey main house is hidden behind the wall, the roof and white walls of the Chishinkan Storehouse are plainly visible from the road and give the frontage a change of height.
Why the Chishinkan Storehouse Was Registered
The Chishinkan Storehouse was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs regards it as a valuable, major element in the make-up of a samurai compound.
The deciding feature is its outer wall. Below waist height on the ground floor, the finish of the Chishinkan Storehouse changes to match the main house and the street wall. Rather than standing out on its own, the storehouse is finished so that it blends into the line of wall and gate, and the residence reads as one composition from the street.
Differing Accounts of Its Date and Position
Sources disagree about when the Chishinkan Storehouse was built. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database gives 1937 and places it northwest of the main house. A local article citing the Tsuyama City Board of Education bulletin of October 2002 says instead that it was built in 1951 as an exhibition store for the opening of the municipal Local History Museum, stands northeast of the main house, and was designed to sit comfortably with the gate, wall and house of 1937. This article follows the agency's record, on which the registration rests, and notes the other account alongside it.
What to Look for at the Chishinkan Storehouse
A Change of Finish at Waist Height
Looking up at the Chishinkan Storehouse from the road, you can see the wall finish change at roughly waist height on the ground floor. Compare that line with the board skirting of the street wall: because the base of the storehouse and the base of the wall share the same treatment, the street frontage keeps a steady rhythm.
A Tall Two-Storey Block
At 45 square metres the Chishinkan Storehouse is not large, but its two storeys make it tall. Beside the single-storey house, a gate under 3 metres high and the low roof of the wall, its roof is the one that rises clearly above the rest and gives the outline of the property a peak.
Moved and Reset in 2022
After its foundation deteriorated and the building began to lean, the Chishinkan Storehouse was repaired in 2022 using Hikiya, the Japanese technique of moving a building intact. The structure was separated from its foundation, jacked up and rolled on rails into the neighbouring car park while a new foundation was laid, then returned and set down in its original place. The storehouse was not dismantled, and its outward appearance was kept as it was.
Seeing the Chishinkan Storehouse
Because it stands on the street, the exterior of the Chishinkan Storehouse can be seen from the public road without a booking. To take in both the change of finish and the height of the upper floor, step back to the far side of the road. From there you can also see where the Chishinkan Storehouse sits in the row with the wall and gate.
A local report from 2010 described the interior of the Chishinkan Storehouse as a display space for calligraphy and photographs of Hiranuma Kiichirō. Current access to the interior, and the state of that display, could not be confirmed, so please ask Tsuyama City when booking a visit to the grounds.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Chishinkan Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Chishinkan Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the Chishinkan Storehouse to 1937. A local article citing Tsuyama City Board of Education material says instead that it was built in 1951 as an exhibition store for the Local History Museum.
- Why is the Chishinkan Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- The Chishinkan Storehouse was registered in 1998 as a building that contributes to the historic landscape. Its wall finish matches the main house and street wall, making it a key part of the samurai compound's street front.
- Has the Chishinkan Storehouse been repaired?
- Yes. After its foundation weakened and it began to lean, the Chishinkan Storehouse was moved intact in 2022, set temporarily in the neighbouring car park while a new foundation was built, and then returned to its original position.
- Can I go inside the Chishinkan Storehouse?
- The exterior of the Chishinkan Storehouse can be seen from the road at any time. Current access to the interior has not been confirmed, so ask Tsuyama City when you book a visit to the grounds.
- How large is the Chishinkan Storehouse and how is it built?
- The Chishinkan Storehouse is a two-storey dozo-zukuri storehouse with a pan-tiled roof and a building area of 45 square metres. It faces the street, and its two storeys make its roof the tallest on the property.
Basic Information
| Name | Chishinkan Storehouse (知新館土蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 26 Minamishinza, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 1998 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 45 square metres |
| Owner | Tsuyama City |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the road at any time; interior access on enquiry |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Chishinkan Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00000898
- Okayama Prefecture: Chishinkan (cultural property information sheet, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.okayama.jp/uploaded/attachment/260954.pdf
- Tsuyama Kawaraban: Chishinkan, based on the Tsuyama City Board of Education bulletin, October 2002 (Japanese)
- https://www.e-tsuyama.com/report/2010/06/post-61.html
- Tsuyama Kawaraban: Major repair of the Chishinkan storehouse by building relocation (Japanese)
- https://www.e-tsuyama.com/report/2022/09/post-2381.html
- Tsuyama City Tourism Association: Chishinkan (Former Hiranuma Kiichirō Villa) (Japanese)
- https://www.tsuyamakan.jp/news/YPNZH7u9
Last verified: 2026.09.25
