What Is the Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B?
The Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B (旧柿原商店土蔵Ｂ, Kyū Kakihara Shōten Dozō Bī) is a warehouse built in 1930 for a meisen silk wholesaler in Honmachi, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 21, 2002. It is a 2-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse with a gabled pantiled roof, entered on its long side (Hirairi), with a building area of 33 m².
It stands shoulder to shoulder with Storehouse A on the west side of the lot, behind the main house. On plan it measures 5 Ken by 2 ken. At about 1.82 m to the ken that works out to roughly 9.1 m by 3.6 m: the same depth as Storehouse A, but 1.5 ken longer.
A Storehouse Defined by Its Doors
The key to the Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B is its doors. The Agency for Cultural Affairs draws attention to the kannon-biraki doors on the ground-floor entrance and on the windows of both floors. These are paired leaves that swing open to either side; on an earthen storehouse they are built on a timber frame and packed with thick clay, so that once shut they form a fire barrier as solid as the wall itself.
The edges of such doors are normally stepped so they lock into a matching rebate in the frame when closed. Rough stepping lets in fire and smoke. Fitting doors of this kind to every single window shows how seriously the wholesaler took the task of protecting the bolts of silk stacked inside.
The base of the walls carries sasarako shitamiita weatherboarding, and the footing is laid in cobbles. That lower detailing matches Storehouse A next door and suggests the two were built together by the same hands.
Reading the Pair Side by Side
The Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B was registered as a model of design and craftsmanship, with registration number 11-0043. The agency's summary sums it up as a carefully built storehouse.
Where the description of Storehouse A dwells on its plain eaves, the description of Storehouse B concentrates on its openings. If you compare the two buildings in the row, count the doors and windows and note their sizes; that is where the difference is easiest to see. Just to the east stands Storehouse C, turned through 90 degrees.
Seeing Storehouse B
The Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B stands behind the main house and is out of sight from the street. Enter the premises while Chichibu Furusatokan is open and you can look at it from close by. The city's tourism site says the storehouses are used for displaying and selling regional products, but access to this particular one depends on how it is being used at the time.
If the doors are standing open, look at their thickness; if they are shut, look at the stepped joint where the two leaves meet. Let your eye travel from the ground-floor entrance up to the upper windows to follow the full set. If the storehouse is in use as a shop, ask before taking photographs. Opening hours and directions for the whole complex are on the Former Kakihara Shoten page.
Q&A
- When was the Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B built?
- It was built in 1930 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 21, 2002.
- What should I look for at the Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B?
- The kannon-biraki double doors on the ground-floor entrance and on the windows of each floor. Packed with thick clay, they seal the building against fire when closed.
- How big is the Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B?
- It is 5 ken by 2 ken on plan and 2 storeys high, with a building area of 33 m².
- How does the Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B differ from Storehouse A?
- The two stand in a row on the west side of the lot with the same 2-ken depth, but Storehouse B is 1.5 ken longer at 5 ken. Their lower walls are finished alike, and Storehouse B is noted for its doors.
- Can I go inside the Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B?
- That depends on its current use. During Chichibu Furusatokan's opening hours you can enter the premises and see the exterior up close. The complex is closed on Wednesdays.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B (旧柿原商店土蔵Ｂ) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1404-4 Honmachi, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), Registration No. 11-0043 |
| Year Designated | Registered August 21, 2002 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen storehouse, 2 storeys, gabled roof, pantiled, entrance on the long side; building area 33 m²; 5 ken by 2 ken |
| Owner | Chichibu City |
| Public Access | Within the Chichibu Furusatokan premises (closed Wednesdays); interior access depends on current use |
References
- Cultural Properties Database: Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002889
- Former Kakihara Shoten Storehouse B (Chichibu City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.chichibu.lg.jp/4256.html
- Chichibu Furusatokan (Chichibu Kanko Navi, Chichibu City, in Japanese)
- https://navi.city.chichibu.lg.jp/p_sightseeingr/842/
Last verified: 2026.09.27
