The Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse
The Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse (小泉家住宅辰巳蔵, Koizumi-ke Jūtaku Tatsumigura) is a two-storey plastered storehouse of 1844 facing the main house across the inner courtyard of the Koizumi estate in Gokasho Yamamoto-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture; moved in about 1907 and again in the early Showa years, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2015.
It runs north to south, three bays by two and a half, with a building area of 29 square meters. The roof is a gabled oki-yane, a separate roof set over the plastered body.
Why the Tatsumi Storehouse Was Registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls the Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse essential to understanding how the estate is put together. Plain outside, it opens its door directly into the kuramae room of the zashiki reception wing.
It has also been moved twice, in about 1907 and in the early Showa period. Even so, it still stands where it opens straight into the reception wing.
What to Look For at the Tatsumi Storehouse
The Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse is plain on the outside, with boat planks at the base of its walls, but the Agency notes that its single interior room is carefully finished. For a storehouse holding scrolls and tableware brought out for guests, that care makes sense.
The oki-yane roof is worth understanding. If fire took the roof, the sealed clay body beneath could survive, and the air gap between the two layers helped keep the contents cool in summer.
Seeing the Tatsumi Storehouse
The Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse faces the inner courtyard and cannot readily be seen from the road. It is not open. Visiting notes are on the Koizumi Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse built?
- The Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse dates from 1844 and was moved twice, in about 1907 and again in the early Showa years.
- When was the Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse registered?
- The Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 4, 2015 (registration number 25-0366).
- What does Tatsumi mean in the Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse?
- Tatsumi is an old way of naming a direction with the zodiac signs; it means southeast.
- What is the oki-yane roof of the Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse?
- It is a roof set as a separate layer on top of the fully plastered storehouse body, with a gap left between them.
- Can I visit the Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse?
- No. The Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse is on private property and not open. We found no public-opening notice as of September 2026.
Basic Information
| Name | Koizumi Family Residence Tatsumi Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 270 Gokasho Yamamoto-cho, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered August 4, 2015 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey plastered storehouse, tiled roof, building area 29 square meters |
| Owner | Koizumi Shoten Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private property; no entry to the grounds) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 小泉家住宅辰巳蔵 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010632
Last verified: 2026.09.27
