A Storehouse Behind the Main House
The Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse (初田家住宅土蔵) is a townhouse storehouse of the late Edo period in Chuo 2-chome, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 28, 2010 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey earth-walled storehouse with a tiled roof and a building area of 29 square metres; registration number 25-0290.
The Storehouse Behind the House
The Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse stands behind the main house to the north, its ridge running north to south: a two-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse with thick earthen walls (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The gabled roof is laid with hongawara tiles, and the building measures 6.0 metres by 4.8 metres. It rests on a base of dressed stone, and its walls are finished in white Shikkui plaster.
The door and windows open on the south side, towards the main house (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Each has a small canopy carried on carved Mochiokuri brackets, and the doorway is framed in a torii-like outline. Inside, the floors are boarded, and the storehouse keeps the furnishings brought out for festivals.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered the Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse for its contribution to the historic landscape. With the main house and wall, it is listed in Otsu City's plan for maintaining its historic character (Otsu City).
What to Look For
The details are on the south face. The Agency singles out the brackets under the canopies and the torii-shaped frame of the doorway as neatly finished.
White plaster walls, a hongawara tile roof and a dressed-stone base give this small storehouse a compact, tidy presence.
Visiting
The Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse stands at the back of the plot, behind the main house. No official information on access was found.
Q&A
- When was the Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse built?
- In the late Edo period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is the Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse?
- In Chuo 2-chome, Otsu City, behind the main house to the north.
- What should I look for at the Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse?
- The canopy brackets and the torii-shaped doorway frame on the south face.
- What is kept in the Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse?
- Festival furnishings, stored on its boarded floors (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse registered?
- On April 28, 2010 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse (初田家住宅土蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-14 Chuo, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/04/28 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earth-walled storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 29 m² |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | No information on public access |
References
- Hatsuda Family Residence Storehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008139
- Changes to the approved historic character plan (Otsu City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.otsu.lg.jp/material/files/group/16/henkoukasyoichiran_r6.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.19
