Former Nakayama Family Residence Rice Storehouse

Former Nakayama Family Residence Rice Storehouse

The Former Nakayama Family Residence Rice Storehouse (旧中山家住宅米蔵, Kyū Nakayama-ke Jūtaku Komegura) is the northernmost of the five registered buildings on businessman Nakayama Setsutarō's estate in Tsurajima-chō Nishinoura, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, a two-story earthen-walled storehouse built around 1914 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 2, 2018.

It stands immediately north of the middle storehouse on the same kind of high stone base, its ridge running east to west. Like its neighbor it is a Dozo-zukuri structure under a gable roof of hongawara tiles, but it covers 69 square meters against the middle storehouse's 60.

The name komegura means rice storehouse, and that is presumably what it held. No published record says what was actually kept inside or in what quantity, so the details of its use remain unknown.

Why the Rice Storehouse Was Registered

The Former Nakayama Family Residence Rice Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs observes that, although its plan is larger, it shares its outward appearance with the middle storehouse: black plaster walls, Namako-kabe tile cladding at the base and corners, and a tiled drip course. Together, the Agency says, the two give the estate its weighty, formal presence.

The rice storehouse matters less as a design in its own right than as half of a pair. Matching the specification and changing only the size produced a single, uniform black backdrop at the rear of the estate.

What to Look For: Two Doors Side by Side

The door of the rice storehouse is set toward the south end of its east gable wall, under a small canopy. The middle storehouse has its door toward the north end of its own east wall. In other words, both doorways are pulled toward the gap between the two buildings.

Stand on the east side where the two buildings meet and the two doors and their stone steps sit almost side by side. The arrangement reads as a way of concentrating the work of loading and unloading in one small yard.

The floor sits well above the ground, and a flight of stone steps leads up to the threshold. The stone base is itself a step higher than the rest of the terrace, and from below you can see clearly how the black walls rest on the masonry.

Look along the walls and you will notice the Former Nakayama Family Residence Rice Storehouse carries the same finishes as its neighbor over a noticeably wider face. Set the two gable ends side by side in your view and the difference in scale is easy to read.

Visiting the Rice Storehouse

The exterior of the Former Nakayama Family Residence Rice Storehouse can be seen on the estate's opening days. The storehouse is opened inside only on some occasions, so ask the staff if you would like to go in.

The best spot is on the east side, between the two storehouses, where both doors and both flights of steps are in view and the reason this door sits at the south end becomes clear.

The steps are high, so watch your footing. The estate has not published rules on taking pictures; the attendant on duty can advise. Bus routes, parking and ticket prices are listed on the Former Nakayama Family Residence page.