The second storehouse on the eastern edge
The Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse (若林家住宅南土蔵, Wakabayashi-ke Jūtaku Minami Dozō) is a two-storey earthen-walled (Dozo-zukuri) storehouse built in 1920 in Inukata-cho, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, moved to its present site in 1928, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 29 November 2016. It stands on the eastern edge of the estate directly south of the north storehouse, its ridge running north to south.
It measures 6.9 metres by 4.9 metres, with a building area of 39 square metres: the same depth as its neighbour but 1 metre shorter. The roof is a pantiled (Sangawara-buki) gable (Kirizuma-zukuri), and the door opens on the west side, toward its northern end.
The walls are finished in Shikkui lime plaster, with a thick plaster band under the eaves and a second projecting ledge, a mizukiri, partway down the wall. Small windows are set in the west and north walls.
Why it was registered
The Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that together with the north storehouse it gives the estate its solid, substantial frontage.
A storehouse guarded a family's wealth and, at the same time, advertised it. Two white storehouses in a row along the eastern edge give the compound a firm outline.
Both storehouses date from 1920 and both were moved here in 1928. Shiga Tobunkai, the association of registered-property owners in Shiga, notes that the pair remain close to their original condition.
What to look for
Compare the Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse with its northern twin and the difference in treatment is clear. The north storehouse dresses its gable windows in torii-shaped frames; the south storehouse keeps to the basic storehouse vocabulary of eave band and wall ledge, with no added ornament. The decoration went to the building on the roadside corner, while the one further in was left plain and practical.
The mizukiri is a small projecting step on the wall that throws rainwater clear of the plaster below, protecting it from damage. Together with the eave band, it draws two horizontal lines of shadow across the white wall.
Note the doors, too. The north storehouse opens at the southern end of its west wall, the south storehouse at the northern end of its west wall, so the two entrances sit close together. It looks as though the pair were planned to be used as a unit.
Visiting
The Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse belongs to a private home and its interior is not open to the public. It is largely hidden behind the north storehouse and is hard to see from the road on the north side.
There is no official guidance on photography. Since this is a private residence, please do not try to peer into the grounds. Visiting conditions and directions for the whole estate are on the Wakabayashi Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shiga
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse
- [ Hikone Castle & Lake Biwa Cruise Experiences ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse?
- The interior is not open to the public, and because it stands behind the north storehouse it is hard to see from the road.
- How big is the Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse measuring 6.9 metres by 4.9 metres, with a building area of 39 square metres, 1 metre shorter than the north storehouse.
- How does the Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse differ from the north storehouse?
- Both were built in 1920 and moved here in 1928. The north storehouse decorates its gable windows with torii-shaped frames, while the south storehouse has a plainer finish with an eave band and a wall ledge.
- When was the Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse registered?
- On 29 November 2016, together with seven other structures on the estate, as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
- Where is the door of the Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse?
- At the northern end of its west wall. The north storehouse has its door at the southern end of its west wall, so the two entrances sit close together.
Basic Information
| Name | Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse (若林家住宅南土蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 758 Inukata-cho, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration No. 25-0390, criterion: contributes to the historic landscape |
| Year Designated | Registered 2016/11/29 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen-walled storehouse, 2 storeys, gable roof with pantiles, building area 39 square metres; 6.9 metres by 4.9 metres |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (hard to see from the road) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Wakabayashi Family Residence South Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011341
- Wakabayashi Family Residence (Shiga Association of Registered Tangible Cultural Property Owners)
- https://shiga-tobunkai.org/catalogue/koto/431
- List of Designated and Registered Cultural Properties in Hikone (Hikone City)
- https://www.city.hikone.lg.jp/kakuka/kanko_bunka/8/2_2/4655.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
