What Is the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse?
The Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse (加藤家住宅（旧布惣）三之蔵, Katō-ke Jūtaku Kyū Nunosō Sannokura) is a late Edo period (1830 to 1868) earthen-walled storehouse in the far southeast corner of the former Nunoso hemp-cloth merchant's property in Takamiya-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 29 March 2013. A two-storey Dozo-zukuri building with a tiled Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof, it covers 41 square meters, the largest of the three registered storehouses.
It is a long, narrow block, 8.1 meters by 5.1 meters, with its door on the west side. The other two storehouses stand close against the main house; the Third Storehouse keeps its distance, alone at the back of the lot.
The Biggest Store on the Lot
The Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse was registered under number 25-0327 for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs points to its large size and tall build, and says that together with the main house and the other two storehouses it preserves the traditional layout of a townhouse property.
Its 41 square meters are about 1.8 times the First Storehouse and 2.7 times the Second. Local tradition says Nunoso once filled seven storehouses with hemp cloth and shipped the lot 12 times a year, but no record consulted says which store held what. Of the storehouses that survive, this is the one with the greatest capacity.
A Plaster Band Under the Eaves
At the eaves of the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse, the purlin ends are hidden. Instead a thick Hachimaki band of plaster wraps the top of the walls just under the roof, a swelling collar that keeps fire away from the timber.
The Second Storehouse on the same lot does it differently, sealing its eaves in plaster that still traces each purlin end. Where the small Second Storehouse keeps the texture of its frame, the Third Storehouse gathers its eaves into one continuous band and gives its tall walls a clean upper edge.
The Agency's description of the building as tall refers to the height of wall rising to the eaves. With the same two storeys as its neighbors but a longer plan and higher walls, the Third Storehouse is the bulkiest structure at the back of the property.
Visiting the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse
No opening of the interior of the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse could be found on the websites of Hikone City or the Hikone Tourist Association. It stands in the southeast corner at the back of the lot, screened by the main house that fronts the Nakasendo, so it can hardly be seen from the street.
Its roof is high enough that part of it may show above neighboring buildings, but no reliable viewpoint can be recommended. Please do not enter the private grounds.
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Q&A
- Where does the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse stand?
- In the southeast corner at the back of the lot, apart from the main house, with its door facing west.
- How large is the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse 8.1 meters by 5.1 meters, with a building area of 41 square meters, the largest of the three registered storehouses.
- What is distinctive about the eaves of the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse?
- The purlin ends are hidden behind a thick band of plaster, known as hachimaki, that runs under the eaves.
- When did the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 29 March 2013, as registration number 25-0327.
- Can I see the Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse?
- No interior opening could be confirmed, and because it is at the back of the lot it is hardly visible from the Nakasendo.
Basic Information
| Name | Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse (加藤家住宅（旧布惣）三之蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1121-1 Takamiya-cho (and other lots), Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), No. 25-0327 |
| Year Designated | Registered 29 March 2013 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey earthen-walled storehouse, tiled roof, 8.1 meters by 5.1 meters, building area 41 square meters |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | No interior opening announced (at the back of the lot, barely visible from the street) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009503
- Cultural Heritage Online: Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Third Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/269526
- Kato Family Residence (Former Nunoso) Main House (Hikone Tourist Association, in Japanese)
- https://www.hikoneshi.com/sightseeing/article/katoke-jutaku-kyu-nunoso-shuoku
Last verified: 2026.09.28
