About the Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse
The Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse (小川家住宅土蔵, Ogawa-ke Jūtaku Dozō) is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse built in 1894, moved in 1911 from the Otome Kashi river landing on the Omoi River to its present site in Otome 3-chome, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 31, 2007. It is the oldest of the five buildings left on the Ogawa family's compound, and the one whose move from the riverbank is backed by its own ridge tablet.
The Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse stands in front of the main house. It measures 5.5 Ken along the ridge and 2.5 and 2 ken across, with a footprint of 41 square meters, under a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles.
A Storehouse Brought from the River
The building's history has been read from writing left inside it. Oyama City explains that an ink inscription on a roof beam makes it very likely the storehouse stood at Otome Kashi, and that the Munafuda ridge tablet indicates it was moved to the present site in 1911.
When the Ogawa family left the river at the end of the Meiji era and resettled beside the Nikko Kaido highway, most of their buildings were built new. This one was taken down, carried over and put back up. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a storehouse moved from the landing where the family laid the foundation of its fortune, one that still carries the air of a merchant house that grew rich on river trade.
1911 was also the year the rice storehouse was built on the new site. The main house followed in 1912 and the fertilizer storehouse in 1913, so this old storehouse was among the first pieces set in place as the new compound took shape.
Why It Was Registered, and What to Look For
The Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency singles out the Shikkui plaster around the openings, the plaster kagemori built up behind the Onigawara ridge-end tiles, and the interior joinery, calling all of it high quality.
Kagemori is plaster modeled into a raised backing behind the ridge-end tile, which makes the end of the roof look larger and grander. Look up at either end of the gabled roof and you should see a white plaster shape standing proud of the tile's outline. The plasterwork framing the doors and windows is the same kind of care spent on the parts of a storehouse that face the visitor.
It is the smallest of the five buildings, yet it occupies a prominent place squarely in front of the main house. Carrying a riverside storehouse all the way here and setting it before the new home can be read as a family keeping its starting point in view.
Seeing the Storehouse
The Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse can be seen in the grounds 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. Because it stands in front of the main house, you pass it on the way in and can take a good look at the exterior.
We could not confirm from the city's pages whether visitors may enter the Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse. If you hope to see the joinery or the inscribed roof beam, ask at reception.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Tochigi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse
- [ Nikko Toshogu Shrine & Kegon Falls Day Trip ]
Q&A
- When was the Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse built?
- In 1894. It was moved from the Otome Kashi river landing to its present site in 1911, and it is the oldest of the five registered buildings.
- How do we know the Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse was moved?
- An ink inscription on a roof beam points to its riverside origin, and the ridge tablet indicates it was moved to the present site in 1911.
- Why is the Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- For its fine plasterwork, including the kagemori behind the ridge-end tiles, and for preserving the character of a merchant house built on river trade. It was registered on July 31, 2007.
- Where is the Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse?
- Directly in front of the main house, near the middle of the plot. You can see its exterior when visiting the residence.
- Can I go inside the Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse?
- The city's pages do not say that the interior is open. Ask at reception if you would like to see inside.
Basic Information
| Name | Ogawa Family Residence 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 41 square meters; 5.5 ken by 2.5 and 2 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 | Exterior viewable during the residence's opening hours (interior access unconfirmed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00006556
- Cultural Heritage Online: Ogawa Family Residence Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/197549
- Oyama City: About the Ogawa Family Residence (Japanese)
- https://www.city.oyama.tochigi.jp/kankou-bunka/rekishi_bunka/bunkazai/page000618.html
- Oyama City: Kurumaya Museum of Art, Opening Hours (Japanese)
- https://www.city.oyama.tochigi.jp/kurumayamuseum/annai/page000592.html
Last verified: 2026.10.03
