About the Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse
The Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse (南家住宅内蔵, Minami-ke Jūtaku Uchigura) is a two-story earthen storehouse at a former village-headman estate in Jinenda, Hannan City, Osaka Prefecture, dating to the late Edo period and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
It stands northwest of the main house, its ridge running east to west. At two and a half bays by two, with a building area of 22 square meters, it is a compact building, and the oldest of the seven registered structures on the estate.
Why the Inner Storehouse Was Registered
The Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse is valued for how it shapes the grounds as well as for its construction. An inner wall is attached to its north side, and according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the storehouse and wall together divide the garden in the northwest from the yard behind the main house.
It was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape. It cannot be seen from outside, but it holds a key position in how the interior of the estate is organized.
What to Look For
The roof is of the okiyane type: a separately framed gabled roof, covered in hongawara tiles, set on top of the thick clay body of the storehouse. The idea is to keep the fireproof clay box and the rain-shedding roof as two distinct parts.
The lower walls are clad high up in vertical boards, with lime plaster above. The boards protect the clay from splashing rain and knocks. The single doorway is on the south side, facing the main house.
The word uchi, inner, most likely refers to its position deep in the estate close to the main house, the counterpart of the Outer Storehouse north of the kitchen wing.
Visiting the Inner Storehouse
The Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse stands at the back of the estate and is practically invisible from the road. It is part of a private home, and the interior is closed.
The best descriptions available are the entries in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database and Cultural Heritage Online.
Q&A
- When was the Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse built?
- In the late Edo period. It is the oldest of the seven registered structures at the Minami Family Residence.
- Can I visit the Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- No. The Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse is at the back of a private home and can hardly be seen from the road.
- What is an okiyane roof, as used on the Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- A roof framed separately and set on top of the clay-walled body of a storehouse. Here it is a gabled roof covered in hongawara tiles.
- Why was the Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse registered?
- Beyond its construction, the storehouse and the inner wall on its north side divide the northwest garden from the rear yard, making it part of how the estate is laid out.
- How large is the Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse?
- Two and a half bays by two, on two floors, with a building area of 22 square meters.
Basic Information
| Name | Minami Family Residence Inner Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 1706 Jinenda, Hannan City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2005 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 22 m² |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 南家住宅内蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004882
- Cultural Heritage Online: 南家住宅内蔵
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/170192
- Hannan City: Minami Garden in Jinenda registered as a Registered Monument
- https://www.city.hannan.lg.jp/kakuka/syogai/syogai_s/bunkazai_shokai/bunkazai_arekore/1403586830573.html
Last verified: 2026.09.29
