The Warehouse at the Back of the Plot
The Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse (川本家住宅倉庫) is a merchant's warehouse of the early Showa era (1926 to 1945) in Kamiizumicho, Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 25, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber building with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 40 square metres; registration number 27-0582.
A Cedar-Bark Shed on a North-South Axis
The Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse stands at the back of the plot, west of the shop and main house, with its ridge running north to south (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It is a gable-roofed building 8.0 metres long and 5.0 metres deep, roofed in sheet iron.
The walls are clad in cedar bark right up to the eaves, and the roof is carried on a traditional Wagoya truss (Agency for Cultural Affairs). There are doorways on both the east and west sides, and the trolley rail from the shop and main house runs in through them.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse for its contribution to the historic landscape, as a building that shows how a merchant household made its living.
From 1872 the Kawamoto family ran a wholesale business in household goods (Ibaraki City). Linking the shop to the warehouse by rail would have suited a trade that moved stock in bulk, and the warehouse is where that line ends.
What to Look For
The cedar-bark walls stand out in texture on a plot otherwise dominated by tile and plaster. The rail lies on the line between the east and west doorways, so the trolley route from the shop's earthen passage can be traced from the Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse end as well.
Visiting
The Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse stands at the back of the plot and cannot be seen from the street. It is part of a private home and is not open on a regular basis.
Q&A
- When was the Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse built?
- In the early Showa era, between 1926 and 1945 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What are the walls of the Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse made of?
- They are clad in cedar bark up to the eaves (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where does the trolley rail in the Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse come from?
- It runs from the earthen passage of the shop and main house into the warehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I visit the Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse?
- It is part of a private home and is not open on a regular basis; it is not visible from the street.
- When was the Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse registered?
- On April 25, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse (川本家住宅倉庫) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1167 Kamiizumicho, Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2014/04/25 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, sheet-iron roof, building area 40 m², 8.0 m by 5.0 m |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not regularly open (not visible from the street) |
References
- Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010006
- Kawamoto Family Residence Warehouse (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/275073
- Bunkazai Meguri Vol. 109: Kawamoto Family Residence (Koho Ibaraki, June 2015, Ibaraki City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.ibaraki.osaka.jp/koho/kohohtml/1506/06/21.html
Last verified: 2026.11.06
