About the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse
The Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse (山本家住宅前蔵, Yamamoto-ke Jūtaku Maegura) is a fireproof earthen storehouse in Mori, Hakuta-cho, Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture, built in the early Meiji era and entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in 2005. It stands directly behind the main house and held the household's furnishings and utensils. The two-story Dozo-zukuri building covers 23 square meters.
Of the four storehouses at the Yamamoto Family Residence, this is the one closest to the house; the new storehouse, used for clothing, stands next to it on the west. The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse as a building that sets a model of form, noting that it is small but carefully made.
A Floating Roof over a Vented Base
The gabled roof (Kirizuma-zukuri) runs east to west and is laid with pantiles (Sangawara-buki). It is an Okiyane, a roof set on top of the earthen body with a gap between the two, a common arrangement for storehouses.
The storehouse stands on a base of cut stone with ventilation openings, which let air move beneath the floor and keep damp away from whatever was stored inside.
The openings are split between two faces. The door is on the south, sheltered by a lean-to eave (Geya), and high on the east wall is a small window with its own hood. The east and north walls are clad in vertical boards.
Why It Was Registered, and What to Notice
The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out the care that went into the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse, from its outer walls down to the timber frame. A stone base, vents, a floating roof and a hooded window, all on a building of 23 square meters, go a long way toward explaining why it was judged a model of form.
Notice how each face is finished for its job: the south side for coming and going, the east for light and air, and the boarded east and north walls to take the weather.
Visiting the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse
No public opening of the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse has been announced, and the interior cannot be seen. Because it stands behind the main house, expect at most a glimpse of its roof from the road.
No photography rules have been published. Even if part of the roof shows, do not point a camera into the grounds. See the Yamamoto Family Residence page for how to get to Mori.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse
- [ Izumo Taisha Shrine & Adachi Museum Gardens ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse?
- No public opening has been announced and the interior cannot be seen. It stands behind the main house, so little of it is visible from the road.
- When was the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse built?
- In the early Meiji era. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
- What was kept in the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, household furnishings and utensils. The new storehouse next door held clothing, and the small storehouse held tools.
- What is the floating roof on the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse?
- It is an okiyane, a roof set on top of the earthen body with a gap between them. Here it is a gabled roof of pantiles running east to west.
- What is the registration number of the Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse?
- 32-0035. It was registered as a building that sets a model of form.
Basic Information
| Name | Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse (山本家住宅前蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 71 Mori, Hakuta-cho, Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2005 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 23 square meters (two-story earthen storehouse, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Not disclosed |
| Public Access | No public opening announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004616
- Cultural Heritage Online: Yamamoto Family Residence Front Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/180836
- Shimane Prefecture: Registered Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/life/bunka/bunkazai/shimane/tourokubunkazai2.html
Last verified: 2026.09.29
