About the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse
The Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse (小川家住宅肥料蔵, Ogawa-ke Jūtaku Hiryōgura) is a Dozo-zukuri storehouse of two storeys with a single-storey section, built in 1913 in Otome 3-chome, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, and it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 31, 2007. The Ogawa family, who ran the Kurumaya fertilizer wholesale business at the Otome Kashi river landing, kept their main product here, and part of the building now houses a small display on the family's history.
The Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse stands behind the main house. It measures 8 Ken by 3 ken, with a lean-to Geya 6.5 ken by 1.5 ken along the back, and covers 111 square meters. The roof is hipped, in Yosemune-zukuri form, and laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles.
The Storehouse at the Heart of the Business
The Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country. Of the three storehouses on the site, the rice storehouse stands out for its length and the older storehouse for having been moved from the river. This one speaks most directly to the family trade: it is where the stock of a fertilizer wholesaler was actually kept.
Completed in 1913, it is the newest of the five registered buildings. The family built the rice storehouse in 1911 and finished the main house in 1912, and with this storehouse a year later the new compound on the highway was essentially complete.
Three Doors and a Western Roof Frame
The interior of the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse is divided into three rooms, each with its own large door on the front. The rice storehouse is arranged the same way, a sign of how a wholesaler kept different goods apart and handled them separately.
The roof rests on a King post truss. Oyama City remarks that Western Yōgoya framing was unusual for a warehouse at the time. A traditional Wagoya roof stacks short posts on heavy beams, whereas a truss carries the load through a rigid triangle of members. What Oyama City draws attention to is that this imported technique was used not for a house but for a warehouse full of trade goods.
From outside, look for the three large doors on the front and the lean-to along the back. Because a single-storey geya is attached to a two-storey body, the roofline steps down at the rear.
Visiting the Fertilizer Storehouse
Part of the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse is used as a display corner for materials related to the Ogawa family, including tools and household items handed down in the family. According to Oyama City's facility summary, 30 square meters of the building's 111.79 square meters are given over to the display.
The Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse can be visited during the residence's opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from April to September and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from October to March, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. The city's pages do not make clear whether the residence ticket (100 yen for adults) covers the display corner, so check at reception.
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Q&A
- When was the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse built?
- In 1913. It is the newest of the five registered buildings of the Ogawa Family Residence.
- What was the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse used for?
- It held fertilizer, the main product of the Ogawa family's wholesale business. The interior is divided into three rooms, each with a large door on the front.
- Why is the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on July 31, 2007, as a building contributing to the historic landscape of the country. Its Western-style king post truss roof is unusual for a warehouse of its time.
- What can I see in the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse?
- Part of it is a display corner showing tools and other materials handed down in the Ogawa family.
- Where is the Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse?
- Behind the main house. It can be visited within the grounds during the residence's opening hours.
Basic Information
| Name | Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-10-34 Otome, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered July 31, 2007 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 111 square meters; 8 ken by 3 ken |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database (opened to the public by the Oyama City Kurumaya Museum of Art) |
| Public Access | Partly open as a display corner (within the residence's opening hours) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00006558
- Cultural Heritage Online: Ogawa Family Residence Fertilizer Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/143821
- Oyama City: About the Ogawa Family Residence (Japanese)
- https://www.city.oyama.tochigi.jp/kankou-bunka/rekishi_bunka/bunkazai/page000618.html
- Oyama City: About the Kurumaya Museum of Art (Japanese)
- https://www.city.oyama.tochigi.jp/kurumayamuseum/info/page001000.html
Last verified: 2026.10.03
