About the Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse
The Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse (萩原家住宅米蔵, Hagiwara-ke Jūtaku Komegura) is a storehouse built in 1909 in Onji Nakamachi, Yao City, Osaka Prefecture, and was entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on September 10, 2019. It is a 2-story tiled Dozo-zukuri storehouse covering 69 square meters, the largest of the 3 Hagiwara storehouses.
It stands in the northwest corner of the compound, facing east. It was built some 20 years after the family closed its cotton wholesale business in 1888 and turned to weaving, about a century later than the late Edo main house and cotton storehouse. Chakichian describes it as a rebuilt storehouse.
Two Doors and an Open Lean-To
The Hagiwara rice storehouse has a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof in heavy Hongawarabuki tiles. There is a doorway at each end of the front, and an open-sided Geya lean-to runs the full width in front of them.
With the doors at the sides rather than the center, the front reads as a long horizontal, underlined by the lean-to eaves. The walls are Shikkui plaster ringed with a Hachimaki band, with vertical boards below. The two late Edo storehouses use horizontal ship planks, the Tatsumi storehouse along its lower walls and the cotton storehouse on its north face; the Meiji rice storehouse uses vertical boards, a change of finish within the same compound.
One Room and a Traditional Roof Frame
Inside, the Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse is a single room with board floors on both levels. The inner walls are plastered in the Shinkabe manner, with posts showing, and the roof sits on a traditional Wagoya frame.
That undivided floor of 69 square meters suits its present use. According to the family, restoration of the rice storehouse was completed in 2020 and it opened as a space for events. Its roof has since been fully retiled.
Why the Rice Storehouse Was Registered
The Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse was registered as contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it joins the cotton storehouse in an L, giving the back of the compound a heavy, solid presence.
The cotton storehouse on the north edge and the rice storehouse in the northwest corner meet at the angle, closing the north and west sides of the courtyard with thick earthen walls. That corner sets the character of the rear of the Hagiwara house.
Visiting the Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse
The Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse is used for Chakichian's events and room rentals, and you can go inside when an event is on or when the space is booked (checked September 2026). There are no separate viewing days.
The exterior can be seen from the courtyard while Chakichian is open. The doors and lean-to face east, so the front is easy to take in from the courtyard. No photography rules are published, so ask on site. Directions are on the Hagiwara Family Residence (Yao) page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse
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Q&A
- When was the Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse built?
- In 1909, after the family had moved from cotton wholesaling into weaving.
- How big is the Hagiwara rice storehouse?
- It is a 2-story storehouse with a building area of 69 square meters, the largest of the 3 storehouses at the Hagiwara Family Residence.
- What should I look for at the Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse?
- The two doorways at either end of the front, the open lean-to running the full width, and the L-shaped link with the cotton storehouse.
- When did the Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On September 10, 2019, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Can I go inside the Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse?
- Yes, during Chakichian events or when the space is rented. There are no separate viewing days (checked September 2026).
Basic Information
| Name | Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse (萩原家住宅米蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-1 Onji Nakamachi, Yao City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2019 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 69 m² (2-story dozo-zukuri storehouse) |
| Owner | Blank in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (run by the Hagiwara family as Chakichian) |
| Public Access | Interior open during events and rentals |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012967
- Cultural Heritage Online: Hagiwara Family Residence Rice Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/380137
- Yao City: Hagiwara Family Residence Registered as a Tangible Cultural Property (Japanese)
- https://www.city.yao.osaka.jp/bunka_sports_event/bunka_geijutsu_reikishi/1011330/1011376/1011380.html
- Chakichian: About Chakichian (Japanese)
- https://chakichian.co.jp/aboutchakichian/
- Chakichian: Official Website (Japanese)
- https://chakichian.co.jp/
Last verified: 2026.09.30
