Where the Rice Was Washed and Steamed
Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Rice Washing House (まちや倶楽部（旧西勝酒造）洗場) is an early Meiji period (1868 to 1882) brewery workshop in Suwaichō Naka, Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 17 February 2022. It is a two-storey storehouse-type building with a tiled roof and a footprint of 56 square metres.
It stands west of the document storehouse, its ridge running east to west. This is where the brewery washed and steamed its rice, the first step in making sake, so if you want to follow the Nishikatsu process in order, start here.
A Landmark in the Middle of the Lot
Like its neighbours, it was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The official description singles out the raised ridge on its roof, saying the building gives the centre of the site its character. Among a crowd of storehouses, a roof wearing a second, smaller roof on top is easy to pick out.
The Agency's report also goes out of its way to call it the board-walled building. Nearly everything else here is plastered earthen storehouse; the Machiya Club rice washing house alone is clad in timber, a practical choice for a room full of water and steam.
Roof Vent and Timber Walls
The roof is a gable with its entrance on the gable end (Tsumairi), covered in pantiles. Over the eastern half of the ridge sits a koshi-yane, a raised strip of roof that leaves a gap beneath it. Such vents are generally used to let out heat and steam, exactly what a rice-steaming room produces.
Two windows open in the western half of the south wall. Inside is a single earth-floored room. Only the eastern half has an upper floor, used for storage, and above it the roof framing is left exposed. Both the loft and the roof vent sit over the eastern half; why, and how the floor was divided between tasks, the official description does not say.
Visiting the Rice Washing House
The exterior can be seen from the lane through the site. Step back a few metres to take in the shape of the roof vent. Machiya Club has not announced any public access to the interior.
There is no published photography policy. When photographing exteriors, keep in mind the shops and overnight guests who share the site. Directions are on the Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) group page. Information checked on 25 September 2026.
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Q&A
- Can I visit the Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Rice Washing House?
- You can see the exterior from the lane through the site. No public access to the interior has been announced.
- What was the Machiya Club Rice Washing House used for?
- Washing and steaming sake rice, the first stage of brewing at the Nishikatsu brewery.
- When was the Machiya Club Rice Washing House built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the early Meiji period (1868 to 1882). It was registered on 17 February 2022.
- What is the small roof on top of the Machiya Club Rice Washing House?
- A koshi-yane, a raised section of roof along the ridge that leaves a gap for air. Vents like this generally release heat and steam. It covers the eastern half of the ridge.
- How is the Machiya Club Rice Washing House different from the other storehouses?
- Most of the other buildings are plastered earthen storehouses, but this one has timber-clad walls. Inside is a single earth-floored room with a storage loft over the eastern half only.
Basic Information
| Name | Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Rice Washing House |
|---|---|
| Location | 15-1 Suwaicho Naka, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2022/2/17 (Reiwa 4) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 56 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs records |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the lane through the site. No public interior access has been announced |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Rice Washing House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00014176
- Cultural Heritage Online: Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Rice Washing House
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/584036
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Council for Cultural Affairs report of 19 November 2021 on Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/93601801_02.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.24
