Fujimoto Family Residence Tool Storehouse

The Fujimoto Family Residence Tool Storehouse

The Fujimoto Family Residence Tool Storehouse (藤本家住宅道具蔵, Fujimoto-ke Jūtaku Dōgugura) is a two-storey early Meiji-period earthen storehouse (Dozo-zukuri) in Fujiidera City, Osaka Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 18, 2006. It stands north of the front gate and west of the annex, with its ridge running east to west.

It measures 2 and a half by 2 Ken bays and covers 19 square metres under a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof of traditional round-and-flat tiles (Hongawarabuki). The door is toward the east end of the south wall, sheltered by a small pent roof. The walls are white lime plaster (Shikkui) with a thickened band, called a hachimaki, running under the eaves; only the west wall, which faces the lane, has board wainscoting at its base.

Why It Was Registered

The Fujimoto Family Residence Tool Storehouse was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. It sits near the northern end of the estate's west side with its west wall on the lane, so for anyone walking south from the temple it is the first building of the estate to come into view.

Its door opens to the south, onto the forecourt inside the front gate, not toward the street. The lane gets a plain white wall with timber at its foot, and all the coming and going happens inside the grounds. The habit of turning a building's flank to the temple approach holds even for this small storehouse.

What to Look For

Small as it is, the storehouse carries the heaviest roofing on the site. Only three of the ten Fujimoto buildings use round-and-flat tiles, the tool, clothing and north rice storehouses, while the main house and gates use lighter pantiles. The heavier roof went to the buildings that held the household's goods.

Look up at the eaves for the hachimaki, a band of extra plaster that protects the top of the earthen wall and casts a thin shadow across the white face.

The wainscoting on the west wall lines up with the base of the front gate next door. From across the lane, the pair shows white plaster and black plaster sitting side by side above the same run of boards.

Visiting the Fujimoto Family Residence Tool Storehouse

The Fujimoto Family Residence Tool Storehouse belongs to a private home and its interior is closed. The door on the south side is inside the grounds and cannot be seen from the street.

The west wall can be seen from the lane. It stands just north of the front gate, so the two are best viewed together from the opposite side of the street. Directions from the station are on the Fujimoto Family Residence page.