Where the Mash Was Pressed
Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Pressing Storehouse (まちや倶楽部（旧西勝酒蔵）槽蔵) is a sake pressing room built in 1911 in Suwaichō Naka, Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 17 February 2022. It was extended in 1959 and renovated in 2013.
Its Japanese name, funagura, comes from the fune, a boxlike press in which cloth bags of fermented mash were stacked and weighted to separate clear sake from the lees. This was one of the last stops in the Nishikatsu brewing sequence.
An Earthen Storehouse with a Trussed Roof
The Agency for Cultural Affairs places the pressing storehouse on the outer edge of the site and notes that, although built as an earthen storehouse, it has a trussed roof frame. Traditional walls outside, Western-style structure overhead: a late Meiji hybrid.
Chronologically, the Machiya Club pressing storehouse fills the gap between the early Meiji kura and the north brewing storehouse of 1959. It was extended in that same year, suggesting the brewery enlarged its pressing capacity along with its brewing space. It was registered, like the others, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
A Stage Where the Press Once Stood
Today it is a rental hall called Kyu-Funagura. Machiya Club describes it as the storehouse where sake was once pressed with a fune and has fitted it with a stage. It hosts lectures and workshops and doubles as a venue for acoustic concerts and a recording studio.
Machiya Club uses a photograph of the hall to illustrate its mid-sized event space. The room where sake was squeezed from the mash now carries voices and music.
Visiting the Pressing Storehouse
You can go inside by booking the hall or by attending an event there. Rates are 3,850 yen per 3 hours on weekdays and 5,775 yen per 3 hours on weekends and holidays, tax included. There are toilets and power outlets but no air conditioning or Wi-Fi, heating and cooling are weak in midsummer and midwinter, and because of nearby homes, loud or amplified events at night are discouraged. Enquiries go to the main Machiya Club number, 0748-32-4654.
The exterior can be seen from the lane through the site. There is no published photography policy; during events, check with the organiser. 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 go inside the Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Pressing Storehouse?
- Yes, by booking it as the Kyu-Funagura rental hall or by attending an event held there. The exterior is visible from the lane through the site.
- How much does it cost to rent the Machiya Club Pressing Storehouse?
- 3,850 yen per 3 hours on weekdays and 5,775 yen per 3 hours on weekends and holidays, tax included. It has a stage but no air conditioning or Wi-Fi.
- When was the Machiya Club Pressing Storehouse built?
- In 1911. It was extended in 1959 and renovated in 2013, and registered on 17 February 2022.
- What is the fune that gave the Machiya Club Pressing Storehouse its name?
- A boxlike press in which bags of fermented mash were stacked and weighted to separate sake from the lees.
- What is distinctive about the Machiya Club Pressing Storehouse as a building?
- It stands on the outer edge of the site and is built as an earthen storehouse, but its roof is carried on a truss frame.
Basic Information
| Name | Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Pressing Storehouse |
|---|---|
| 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 | Not confirmed (not stated in the Agency's report) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs records |
| Public Access | Available as the Kyu-Funagura rental hall by reservation. Exterior visible from the lane through the site |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Machiya Club (Former Nishikatsu Sake Brewery) Pressing Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00014181
- 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
- Machiya Club: Rental spaces
- https://machiya-club.org/kashi-space/
- Machiya Club: Our projects
- https://machiya-club.org/torikumi/
Last verified: 2026.09.24
