What Is the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse?
The Kasen Brewery East Storehouse (華泉酒造場東の蔵, Kasen Shuzōjō Higashi-no-kura) is a late-Edo Dozo-zukuri earthen storehouse of 2 storeys, built between about 1830 and 1867, that stands at the eastern edge of Kasen Brewery in Ushiroda, Tsuwano Town, Shimane Prefecture, facing a back lane; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 10 September 2010. Its building area is 144 square meters.
Where the other storehouses have ridges running east to west, the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse turns its ridge north to south. It has a lean-to on the south side and measures 15 meters north to south by 9.3 meters east to west.
The Brewery's Face to the Back Lane
The Kasen Brewery East Storehouse was registered, as No. 32-0144, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
It is the only one of the five buildings that faces the back lane rather than Honmachi-dōri. The shop-house and the two storehouses beside it shape the main street; the rear of the lot is left to this single building. The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits it with giving a settled, calm character to the streetscape of the lane.
Turning the ridge north to south lays the long side of the storehouse along the lane. That long wall closes the back of a lot that runs all the way from the main street to the rear, the typical shape of a Tsuwano merchant property.
Two Different Roof Ends
The roof of the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse is laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles, but its two ends do not match. The north end is hip-and-gable and the south end is plainly gabled. Walk the lane and compare them: at the north the eaves wrap around the end of the roof, while at the south a triangular gable wall rises above the lean-to.
The walls sit on a stone base, clad in boards to a good height and finished above in Shikkui lime plaster. Because the boarding runs so high, the storehouse reads from the lane in two bands, timber below and white plaster above. It is a back-lane finish, different from the Namako-kabe tiled bases that the Tool and Former Clothing Storehouses show to the main street.
Visiting the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse
The Kasen Brewery East Storehouse is not open inside.
Its exterior can be seen from the lane along the eastern edge of the lot. To compare the hip-and-gable north end with the gabled south end, walk a short way along the lane to each end. The lane is also used by local residents, so keep out of the way of traffic and photograph from the public road. Directions are on the Kasen Brewery page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kasen Brewery East Storehouse
- [ Izumo Taisha Shrine & Adachi Museum Gardens ]
Q&A
- When was the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse built?
- In the late Edo period, which the national database gives as about 1830 to 1867.
- What kind of building is the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse?
- A 2-storey earthen storehouse at the eastern edge of the lot, facing a back lane. Its ridge runs north to south, with a lean-to on the south; it measures 15 by 9.3 meters, with a building area of 144 square meters.
- What should I look for at the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse?
- The two roof ends: hip-and-gable at the north, plain gable at the south. Note also the tall board cladding under the white plaster.
- When was the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse registered?
- On 10 September 2010, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property No. 32-0144, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Where can I see the Kasen Brewery East Storehouse?
- From the back lane along the eastern edge of the lot, not from Honmachi-dōri. The interior is not open.
Basic Information
| Name | Kasen Brewery East Storehouse (華泉酒造場東の蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | Ro 221 Honmachi, Ushiroda, Tsuwano Town, Kanoashi District, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), No. 32-0144 |
| Year Designated | Registered 10 September 2010 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-storey earthen storehouse, tiled roof, building area 144 square meters, 15 meters north to south by 9.3 meters east to west |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (used by Kasen Shuzo) |
| Public Access | Interior not open; exterior visible from the lane on the east side |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Kasen Brewery East Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008352
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings) in Shimane (Shimane Prefecture)
- https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/life/bunka/bunkazai/shimane/tourokubunkazai2.html
- Tsuwano Preservation District (Tsuwano Culture Portal)
- https://tsuwano-bunka.net/cultural-property/detail_hozon-area/
Last verified: 2026.09.27
