Fukada Family Residence Storehouse
Of the three registered buildings on the Fukada estate in Notogawa, Higashiomi, the storehouse is the oldest. Records place it at around 1919, in the Taisho era, a decade before the main house and the detached wing that share the plot. It sits tight against the west side of the dwelling and turns its gable end toward the old highway, so that from the road you meet the building end-on rather than along its length.
A kura, or plastered storehouse, was the strongbox of a Japanese household. Built with thick fire-resistant walls, it held rice, tools, seasonal goods and family valuables. On a merchant estate the kura was not an afterthought but part of the frontage, and its placement here, shoulder to shoulder with the house and facing the street, shows how deliberately the whole compound was arranged.
Why It Is Registered
The storehouse was entered on the national register of tangible cultural properties on 23 July 1998, registration number 25-0038, under the criterion for buildings that serve as a model of design. The register describes it as an element the estate could not do without, and that phrasing is the key to its value: it was listed not as a masterpiece in isolation but as an indispensable part of a coherent group.
The building keeps a straightforward storehouse form, two storeys in the earthen-walled kura construction with a tiled roof. Its footprint is compact, measuring about 4.28 metres across the front and 6.30 metres deep. The shomae, the working forecourt in front of the storehouse doors, is set on the eastern side, the flank that faces the everyday movement of the household.
What to Look For
The exterior tells a small story about materials. The lower wall is finished in tateba-me, vertical wooden boarding that protects the base of the plaster from splash and wear. Above it the wall is clad in corrugated iron sheeting, a modern industrial material that spread through rural Japan in exactly this period. The pairing of traditional board skirting and machine-made metal above is honest and practical, and it dates the building as clearly as any inscription: a Taisho-era kura reaching for the newest weatherproofing of its day.
Because the storehouse stands on private land it is viewed from outside rather than entered. Seen from the highway, its gable and the neighbouring house together form the streetside profile of the estate. Visitors who want to see kura interiors and merchant storehouses up close can head to the Gokasho Kondo preservation district in the same city, where white-walled storehouses line the water-threaded lanes and several are open to the public.
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Questions and Answers
- How old is the Fukada Family Storehouse?
- It dates to about 1919, in the Taisho era, making it the earliest of the three registered buildings on the estate. It was registered as a cultural property in July 1998.
- What is a kura and what was it used for?
- A kura is a thick-walled, fire-resistant storehouse. Households used it to keep rice, tools, seasonal items and valuables safe from fire and theft.
- What are the walls made of?
- The lower part is faced with vertical wooden boarding, and the upper wall is clad in corrugated iron sheeting, a modern material typical of the Taisho period.
- Why was a storehouse registered as a cultural property?
- It was recognised as an indispensable part of the estate as a whole. Its value lies in completing the composition of the family compound rather than standing alone.
- Can I see a storehouse interior nearby?
- Yes. The Gokasho Kondo district in Higashiomi preserves white-walled merchant storehouses along its canals, and several buildings there are open to visitors.
Basic Information
| Name | Fukada Family Residence Storehouse (Fukadake Jutaku Dozo) |
|---|---|
| Location | 606 Notogawacho, Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure); registration no. 25-0038 |
| Registered | 23 July 1998 (announced 4 August 1998) |
| Built | About 1919 (Taisho era) |
| Structure | Earthen-walled storehouse, two storeys, tile roof; front about 4.28 m, depth about 6.30 m; building area about 27 sq m; 1 building |
| Access | Private property; not open to the public. Exterior visible from the road. Nearest station: JR Notogawa |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Properties Database (Fukada Family Storehouse)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000591
- Cultural Heritage Online (Bunka Isan Online) — Fukada Family Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/137861
- Shiga Prefecture Official Tourism Guide — Gokasho Kondo Historic Townscape
- https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/910/
Last verified: 2026.07.11