What Is the Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse?
The Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse (山下家住宅味噌蔵, Yamashita-ke Jūtaku Misogura) is a two-storey earth-walled storehouse built in the early Meiji era (1868 to 1882) in Tsuji, Ikawa-cho, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture, and was entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on October 27, 2017. It stands behind the main house toward the north, its ridge running east to west.
The roof is gabled and laid with hongawara tiles, and the entrance is on the long side, the arrangement called hirairi. It measures 9.9 by 4.9 meters, a building area of 49 square meters. With the rice storehouse of 1883, it is among the oldest buildings of the Yamashita Family Residence.
A Miso Storehouse That Held Shop Stock
Despite the name, the Agency for Cultural Affairs records the tradition that the Yamashita Miso Storehouse held goods for the family's general store. Whether it was first built for fermenting miso and kept the name, or was simply called that, the Agency's note does not say.
Miyoshi City's historic-character plan says the Yamashitas brewed sake from 1866 to 1926 and later sold kimono fabric. If they also kept a general store, this storehouse, directly behind the main house, was in exactly the right place for moving stock in and out of the shop.
How the Miso Storehouse Is Built
Both floors are divided into two rooms. On the ground floor the western half has an earthen floor and the eastern half is boarded. Heavy barrels and bundles could sit on the earth, while goods that dislike damp were kept on the boards.
A dozo-zukuri storehouse wraps its timber frame in a thick coat of clay to resist fire. For a merchant family the storehouse was where the wealth was kept safe, and the Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse did that job for well over a century, tucked behind the house.
Why the Miso Storehouse Was Registered
The Yamashita Miso Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency notes that it conveys the prosperity Tsuji once enjoyed. It shows the kind of storehouse a merchant family in this tobacco, sake and general-goods town kept at the back of its house.
Seeing the Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse
No public opening of the Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse has been announced (checked October 2026). Because it stands behind the main house, it is not confirmed how much of it can be seen from the road. There is no official guidance on photography; please stay off the property and keep the residents' private life out of any pictures. Directions to Tsuji are on the Yamashita Family Residence (Miyoshi) page.
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Q&A
- When was the Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse built?
- In the early Meiji era, between 1868 and 1882. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 27, 2017.
- Was miso stored in the Yamashita Miso Storehouse?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs records that it held stock for the family's general store. Its note does not mention miso.
- How large is the Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse?
- It is a two-storey earth-walled storehouse of 9.9 by 4.9 meters, with a building area of 49 square meters.
- What is inside the Yamashita Miso Storehouse?
- Each floor has two rooms. On the ground floor the western half has an earthen floor and the eastern half is boarded.
- Can I visit the Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse?
- No opening has been announced (checked October 2026). It stands behind the main house, and its visibility from the road is not confirmed.
Basic Information
| Name | Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 76-2 Tsuji, Ikawacho, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2017 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 9.9 m by 4.9 m, building area 49 m² |
| Owner | Unknown (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Interior not open |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012061
- Cultural Heritage Online: Yamashita Family Residence Miso Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/275322
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Registration recommendation of July 21, 2017 (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/r1392281_22.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
