About the Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House
The Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House (奥野本家住宅宝庫, Okuno Motoke Jūtaku Hōko) is a two-story earthen storehouse in Mori, Hakuta-cho, Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture, built in 1858 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005. It covers 46 square meters and is the oldest of the five registered buildings on the estate.
It stands southwest of the main house, and it was already there in the closing years of the Edo period, fourteen years before that house went up in 1872. The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the Okuno Motoke treasure house as a model of form, noting that its size and layout suit a large estate.
Two Doorways and Four Rooms
The Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House is built in the Dozo-zukuri manner, two stories high, under a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) pantile (Sangawara-buki) roof running east to west. It has two doorways, one in the east gable end and one in the north wall, each with a small canopy over it. Both floors are divided into two rooms.
Two entrances and four rooms in a single storehouse suggest that different goods were kept apart. The Agency's description does not say what was stored where.
A Round Ridge-End and a Floating Roof
The walls are finished in white Shikkui lime plaster. Look up at the gable ends and you will see that the end of the ridge beam has been shaped into a circle. The ridge-beam end is exposed to the weather, and wrapping it in a plaster disc both protects and decorates it.
The roof is an Okiyane, a separate roof frame set on top of the storehouse body, and it throws deep eaves. Deep eaves to keep rain off the plaster and the round ridge-end ornament are what give the Okuno Motoke treasure house its character.
Visiting the Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House
The Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House belongs to Yasugi City, but no public opening has been announced. It stands southwest of the main house, deep in the plot, so do not count on seeing it from the road.
If you want to ask about a visit, contact the Culture Division of the Yasugi City Board of Education in advance. There is no official guidance on photography. Directions are on the Okuno Motoke Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House
- [ Izumo Taisha Shrine & Adachi Museum Gardens ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House?
- No public opening has been announced, and it stands behind the main house where it is hard to see from the road. Ask the Culture Division of the Yasugi City Board of Education about access.
- When was the Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House built?
- In 1858, which makes it the oldest of the five registered buildings on the estate.
- Where are the doors of the Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House?
- There are two canopied doorways, one in the east gable end and one in the north wall.
- What is the round ornament on the gables of the Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House?
- It is the end of the ridge beam, shaped into a circle in plaster.
- What is inside the Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House?
- Each of its two floors is divided into two rooms. The Agency for Cultural Affairs does not record what each room held.
Basic Information
| Name | Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House (奥野本家住宅宝庫) |
|---|---|
| Location | 27 Mori, Hakuta-cho, Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2005 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 46 square meters (two-story earthen storehouse, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Yasugi City |
| Public Access | No public opening announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Okuno Motoke Residence Treasure House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004611
- Shimane Prefecture: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/life/bunka/bunkazai/shimane/tourokubunkazai2.html
- Yasugi City: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in Yasugi (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.yasugi.shimane.jp/kurashi/bunka/bunkazai/sibunkazai.data/tourokubunkazai.pdf
- Yasugi City: Cultural Properties of Yasugi (contact: Board of Education Culture Division)
- https://www.city.yasugi.shimane.jp/kurashi/bunka/bunkazai/sibunkazai.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
