A storehouse dated 1876
The south storehouse carries a firm date: 1876, the ninth year of Meiji. Among the Itohara buildings it is the earliest whose year of construction is fixed, a white-walled dozō raised as the family's iron fortunes turned.
A dozō (土蔵) is a fire-resistant store built with thick earthen walls finished in white plaster over a timber frame. The south storehouse is two storeys, tiled, and covers about 193 square metres, the largest of the Itohara stores. It went up in 1876, when the household still ran tatara smelting but stood at the edge of great change, as imported Western steel began to press on the old iron trade.
Wealth measured in walls
Registered in February 2004, the storehouse was listed under the criterion for a building contributing to the historic landscape of the country. Storehouses like this one measured a family's standing as plainly as any reception hall: they held rice, goods, heirlooms and the tea utensils and artworks the Itohara had gathered over generations. The thick walls that resist fire also hold a steady temperature, which is why the family's collections survived to be shown in the museum today.
White walls across the estate
The white plaster ranges of the Itohara stores give the estate much of its character, and the memorial museum's own display halls were built to echo their form; one exhibition wing is a converted futon-gura (布団蔵) of 1922. Walking the grounds, you read the wealth of an ironmaster house less in ornament than in the sheer mass of these walls. The south storehouse is seen from the museum route through the estate.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near South Storehouse of the Itohara Family Residence
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Q&A
- Why is 1876 significant here?
- It is the earliest fixed construction date among the registered Itohara buildings, anchoring the group in early Meiji.
- What is a dozō?
- An earthen-walled storehouse plastered white over a timber frame, built to resist fire and hold a steady climate.
- What was kept inside?
- Rice, household goods and valuables, including the tea utensils and artworks the family collected.
- How big is it?
- Two storeys and about 193 square metres, the largest of the Itohara storehouses.
- Can I see it?
- It stands within the museum grounds and is viewed from the visitor route.
Basic Information
| Name | Itohara Family Residence, South Storehouse (絲原家住宅南蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | Otani, Okuizumo, Nita District, Shimane (島根県仁多郡奥出雲町大谷856-1) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registered | 17 February 2004 |
| Registration no. | 32-0020 |
| Structure | Earthen-walled storehouse (dozo), two storeys; tiled roof; building area approx. 193 m² |
| Date | Meiji period, 1876 |
| Registration criterion | Contribution to the historic landscape |
| Owner | Privately owned (individual) |
| Access | Open as part of the Itohara Memorial Museum |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Properties Database
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003911
- Itohara Memorial Museum — official site
- https://itoharas.com/
- Okuizumo Town — tourism guide
- https://okuizumo.org/jp/guide/detail/188/
- Shimane Kankō Navi — Itohara Memorial Museum
- https://www.kankou-shimane.com/destination/20282
Last verified: 2026.07.05