The Long White Storehouse
The Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse (西堀酒造仕込蔵) is a plastered sake brewing storehouse of the mid-Taisho era in Awanomiya, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 18, 2008 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey plastered storehouse with a tiled roof and a building area of 239 square metres, renovated in 1995; registration number 09-0171.
A Long Storehouse on Oya Stone
The Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse runs north to south along the east side of the brewery grounds, a Dozo-zukuri storehouse 28 metres long and 5.9 metres deep (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The gabled roof is laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles, and a tiled Hisashi 2.8 metres wide projects from the west side.
It stands on a base of cut Ōya stone. The walls are finished in white Shikkui plaster above a dado of clapboard held by notched battens (Shitami-itabari), and each window carries its own small sheet-iron awning (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered the Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse for its contribution to the historic landscape. Its notes set out the Ōya stone base, white plaster and clapboard dado, and single out the sheet-iron awnings over the windows for the shadow they cast across the walls.
The Founding Storehouse and the Shop
The company holds that this is the storehouse its founder, Nishibori Genjiro, bought from the kimono wholesaler Sanoya in 1872, and dates it to the late Edo period. The Agency dates it to the mid-Taisho era, so the two accounts disagree.
According to the company, at its postwar peak the brewery made about 3,000 koku a year in this building, the equivalent of 300,000 large bottles. It was converted into a shop in 1995 and opened as the brewery's own Maegura shop.
What to Look For
Look along the 28 metres of white wall, where each small awning throws its own shadow (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The cut Ōya stone at the foot and the dark band of clapboard set off the bright plaster, and the 2.8-metre tiled canopy on the west side gives the long front its depth.
Visiting
Of the four registered structures, the Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse is the one you can walk into, since it houses the brewery shop. It opens 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays, closing only on New Year's Day (company information as of October 2026). Tastings are offered inside. No official guidance on photography was found.
Q&A
- When was the Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the mid-Taisho era; the company describes it as a late Edo building, so the sources differ.
- Can I go inside the Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse?
- Yes. It houses the brewery shop and is open during shop hours (company).
- How big is the Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse?
- It is a single-storey storehouse 28 metres by 5.9 metres, with a building area of 239 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What should I look for at the Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse?
- The Ōya stone base, the white plaster above a clapboard dado, and the sheet-iron awnings over the windows.
- When was the Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse registered?
- On April 18, 2008 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse (西堀酒造仕込蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1452 Awanomiya, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/04/18 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey plastered storehouse, tiled roof, 239 m² (28 m by 5.9 m) |
| Owner | Nishibori Shuzo Co., Ltd. (per the company; not listed in the Agency database) |
| Public Access | Open as the brewery shop (interior accessible) |
References
- Nishibori Shuzo Brewing Storehouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00006998
- Brewery History (Nishibori Shuzo Co., Ltd., Japanese)
- https://nishiborisyuzo.com/history
- Company Profile and Access (Nishibori Shuzo Co., Ltd., Japanese)
- https://nishiborisyuzo.com/company
Last verified: 2026.10.29
