What Is the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse?
The Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse (立川家住宅蔵, Tatsukawa-ke Jūtaku Kura) is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri clay-walled storehouse of the mid-Meiji era (1883 to 1897) on the estate of a shredded-tobacco merchant family in Tsuji, Ikawa-cho, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2017.
The Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse stands at the west end of the plot. Its plan is a square of 7.9 m on each side under a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof, and deep Hisashi canopies project from its north and east faces, bringing the building area, canopies included, to 107 square metres. It is the oldest of the four Tatsukawa buildings.
Why the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse Was Registered
The Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse was registered on 27 October 2017 as number 36-176, under the criterion for buildings that contribute to the historic landscape of the country.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a storehouse that conveys the history of a district that prospered on the tobacco industry. It was built in the mid-Meiji era, before the main house and inner storehouse of around 1903, while the Tatsukawa family was still making and selling shredded tobacco, and its building area comes close to that of the main house. A large store from the years when the trade was still running survives at the edge of the estate.
The record of the roofing material is split. The Agency's database describes the roof as steel sheet in its structure field and as copper sheet in its explanatory text, and the two do not agree. The database alone does not say which reflects the present roof.
What to Look For at the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse
Upper windows above the canopies
Above the canopies on the north and east faces, two upper-floor windows open on each side. They are fitted with lattices, and over each one is a Mizukiri-gawara, a small tiled hood fixed to the wall that throws rainwater clear of the plaster below. The regular rhythm of latticed windows and tile lines against the white clay wall is what gives the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse its face.
Deep canopies on two sides
The square storehouse carries deep canopies on its north and east sides only. On a storehouse, a canopy of this kind generally shields the base of the walls from the weather and gives a dry place to handle goods on wet days. Here that protection has been concentrated on just two faces.
A roof frame of sloping beams
The roof is framed with Nobori-bari, beams laid along the slope of the roof rather than flat, which leaves more open space in the loft. The interior is not open, but the Agency records this structure as one of the characteristics of the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse.
Seeing the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse
The Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse is not open to the public, and no interior viewings are announced (checked 2 October 2026). Standing at the west end of the plot, it lies behind the main house and annex when seen from the lane in front, and how much of its north and east faces can be seen from the road has not been confirmed. Please do not enter the grounds; look only at what can be seen from outside.
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Q&A
- When was the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse to the mid-Meiji era (1883 to 1897). It is the oldest of the four Tatsukawa buildings.
- How large is the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse?
- The Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse is a two-storey clay-walled building on a square plan of 7.9 m by 7.9 m. Including the deep canopies on its north and east sides, its building area is 107 square metres.
- What is the roof of the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse made of?
- The Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse has a gabled roof. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database gives steel sheet in its structure field and copper sheet in its explanatory text, so the record is inconsistent.
- What should I look for on the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse?
- On the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse, look for the deep canopies on the north and east faces, the two latticed upper windows above each canopy, and the small tiled hoods over the windows. The roof is framed with sloping beams.
- Can visitors see the Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse?
- The Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse is not open to the public and no interior viewings are announced (checked 2 October 2026). Because it stands at the west end of the plot, the view from the road may be limited.
Basic Information
| Name | Tatsukawa Family Residence Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 159-1 Tsuji, Ikawacho, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2017 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 7.9 m by 7.9 m, dozo construction, 2 storeys, steel sheet roof, building area 107 m² |
| Owner | Not listed (Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 立川家住宅蔵 (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012056
- Cultural Heritage Online: 立川家住宅蔵 (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/223087
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Registration of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings), recommendation of 21 July 2017 (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/r1392281_22.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.02
