About the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse
The Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse (寺岡糸店文庫蔵, Teraoka Itoten Bunkogura) is a 2-storey earthen-walled storehouse built in 1874 and remodeled around 1933 in Tenmyōchō, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, and entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on December 5, 2019. It has a tiled roof and a building area of 32 m².
It is the oldest of the five registered Teraoka Itoten structures. Attached to the northwest corner of the main house, it runs north to south along the western edge of the plot.
An Earthen Storehouse Dressed as Stone
Structurally the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse is a clay-walled kura, yet from outside it reads as a stone building. Its walls carry an artificial-stone finish made to look like stone masonry.
The technique, known in Japanese as jinzōseki araidashi, involves applying cement mixed with fine crushed stone and washing the surface before it fully sets so that the grains stand out. The result wraps an earthen wall in the texture of stone.
Near the top of the walls, two projecting bands known as Hachimaki run around the building and give the storehouse a firm upper edge. The present exterior reflects the remodeling of around 1933, but the Agency for Cultural Affairs does not say which features date from that work.
The Porch, Plaster Doors and Roof Frame
The roof is a gabled roof of pantiles, and on the south side a covered porch, or Kuramae, shelters the entrance, keeping rain off while goods are carried in and out.
The doorway is closed by plaster-coated doors that slide apart to either side. The interior walls are plastered too, and the roof is carried on sloping beams in the Nobori-bari fashion.
A bunkogura is usually a storehouse for account books, documents and household valuables. The published records do not say what was kept in this one at Teraoka Itoten.
Why the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse Was Registered
The Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse was listed as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as one corner of the residential group lining the west side of the plot.
Its history matters as well. A Meiji storehouse was kept and refitted at about the time the new shop and main house went up, and the sixty-year span of the Teraoka Itoten buildings begins with this one.
Seeing the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse
The Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse is owned by the company Teraoka Itoten, and its interior is not open to the public (checked October 2026). It stands at the western edge of the plot, attached to the main house, and we could not confirm whether it can be seen from the road. There is no official guidance on photography, so please be considerate of the surrounding homes. Directions are on the Teraoka Itoten page.
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Q&A
- When was the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse built?
- In 1874, with a remodeling around 1933. It is the oldest of the five registered Teraoka Itoten structures.
- How are the walls of the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse finished?
- With a washed artificial-stone finish made to look like stone masonry, and two projecting bands around the top.
- What are the entrance and interior of the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse like?
- A covered porch shelters the south entrance, where plaster-coated doors slide apart. The interior is plastered and the roof rests on sloping beams.
- When did the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on December 5, 2019, as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. Its registration number is 09-0247.
- Can I visit the Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse?
- The interior is not open to the public (checked October 2026). It stands at the western edge of the plot, and visibility from the road has not been confirmed.
Basic Information
| Name | Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse (寺岡糸店文庫蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2702 Tenmyocho, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2019 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 32 m² (earthen-walled storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Teraoka Itoten Partnership (Gōmei Kaisha Teraoka Itoten) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (visibility from outside the plot not confirmed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013040
- Cultural Heritage Online: Teraoka Itoten Bunko Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/380437
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Registration of Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures), July 19, 2019 (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/91972801_01.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
