The Former Rice Store in the Middle of the Row
The Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 (榎原家住宅土蔵二, Ebara-ke Jūtaku Dozō Ni) is a fireproof storehouse built between 1830 and 1868 in Ozone, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 7, 2014. It stands on the north edge of the Ebara compound between Storehouse No. 1 and Storehouse No. 3, under registration number 27-0602.
The Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 is a 2-storey Dozo-zukuri building with its ridge running north to south, measuring 6.8 metres by 3.9 metres, with a building area of 26 square metres. Long and narrow, it reaches back into the lot between its neighbours. The Agency for Cultural Affairs reads its closely spaced posts as a sign that it was originally built to hold rice.
A Headman's Rice Store
The Council for Cultural Affairs judged all three storehouses to be carefully built in the dozo manner and to set off the old family's compound, and each was registered as contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
The Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 adds a clue to its purpose. A rice store has to carry the dead weight of stacked straw bales and resist the outward push they put on the walls. Setting the posts closer together than usual, stiffening the walls, is a likely response to that load. For a headman's family, which gathered the village's tax rice, a dedicated rice store fits the household's role.
What to Look For: Plaster Headband and Dense Framing
The roof is a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri form in heavy Hongawarabuki tile. The walls are finished in Shikkui lime plaster with a Hachimaki, a thickened band of plaster built out just below the eaves to shield the roof edge from fire. Storehouse No. 1 next door carries its plaster right up under the eaves instead; the two neighbours show two different plasterers' answers to the same problem.
The door is on the east side, under a small canopy, and a small window pierces the west side. Vertical boards protect the lower walls to about waist height.
The posts themselves are buried in the earthen walls. Looking at photographs of the 6.8 metres long wall, it helps to picture the extra posts packed behind it: they explain why this storehouse is so long, and why it was built so stoutly.
Visiting
The Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 stands within a private residence and is not open to the public. It sits in the middle of the row of storehouses with its door facing into the compound, so it cannot be seen from the street. Photography on the property is not possible.
How the compound developed and how to reach the area are covered on the Ebara Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Osaka
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2
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Q&A
- Can I visit the Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2?
- No. The Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 stands within a private residence and is not open to visitors.
- When was the Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period, between 1830 and 1868.
- What was the Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 originally used for?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs reads its closely spaced posts as evidence that it was first built as a rice store.
- How big is the Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2?
- It is a 2-storey storehouse measuring 6.8 metres by 3.9 metres, with a building area of 26 square metres.
- When was the Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 registered?
- It was registered on October 7, 2014, together with the seven other structures of the Ebara compound.
Basic Information
| Name | Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 (榎原家住宅土蔵二) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-214-1 Ozone and adjoining lots, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2014/10/7 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey dozo-zukuri storehouse, tiled roof, building area 26 square metres (6.8 metres by 3.9 metres) |
| Owner | Private (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ebara Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010205
- Council for Cultural Affairs report on new Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, March 18, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/bunkashingi_toshin_140318.pdf
- Osaka Cultural Heritage Navi: Ebara Family Residence
- https://osaka-bunkazainavi.org/bunkazai/%E6%A6%8E%E5%8E%9F%E5%AE%B6%E4%BD%8F%E5%AE%85
Last verified: 2026.09.26
