About the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse
The Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse (新井家住宅外蔵, Arai-ke Jūtaku Sotogura) is a mid-Meiji earthen-walled storehouse, built between 1883 and 1897, in Irumacho, Chofu City, Tokyo, and it was entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on April 25, 2014.
It faces north toward the main house across the front yard, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a former grain store. Where the inner storehouse is built into the back of the house, the Arai outer storehouse stands on its own at the front of the farmstead, with the former silkworm rearing house right next door to the east.
A Grain Store at the Front of the Farm
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, as one of the buildings that frame the front yard of a farmstead still set inside its woodland.
If the inner storehouse guarded the family's papers and heirlooms, the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse held the harvest. Set across the yard from the house, beside the building where silkworms were raised, it suggests how the front of the Meiji-era farm was given over to grain and cocoons.
How the Outer Storehouse Is Built
It measures three bays by two and a half, with a building area of 35 m². It is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse entered from the long side (Hirairi), under a gabled Okiyane roof, a separate roof set over the earthen body, now covered in sheet metal.
The walls are finished in washed mortar, with a Hachimaki band under the eaves and a mizukiri drip ledge partway down the wall to shed rain. That surface sets it clearly apart from the bare earthen walls of the inner storehouse. When the mortar finish was applied is not stated in the published sources.
Look up at the top of the east gable end: the Arai family's yago, its house name, is displayed there. The west wall has a small window. Upstairs, the roof frame is built with beams stacked in three tiers, carrying the okiyane above.
Seeing the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse
The Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse stands on the front-yard side of the farmstead, but the yard is private land inside a belt of trees, and whether the house name on the east gable can be seen from the street could not be confirmed. No interior opening or photography guidance has been announced (checked October 2026). Directions and contact details are on the Arai Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When was the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse built, and when was it registered?
- It dates from the mid-Meiji period (1883 to 1897) and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 25, 2014.
- What was the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse used for?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a former grain store. It faces the main house across the front yard.
- How big is the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse?
- Three bays by two and a half, with a building area of 35 m². It is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse with a gabled okiyane roof covered in sheet metal.
- What should I look for on the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse?
- The family's house name at the top of the east gable, and the washed mortar walls with their hachimaki band and drip ledge. Upstairs is a three-tier beam roof frame.
- Can I visit the Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse?
- No opening has been announced (checked October 2026). It stands on private land, and its visibility from the street is unconfirmed.
Basic Information
| Name | Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse (新井家住宅外蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-4 Irumacho, Chofu City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2014 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 3 bays by 2.5 bays, building area 35 m² |
| Owner | The Arai family (blank in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open (no visiting arrangements announced) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009925
- Cultural Heritage Online: Arai Family Residence Outer Storehouse (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/260392
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Arai Family Residence Inner Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009924
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Arai Family Residence Former Silkworm Rearing House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009926
- Chofu City: List of Designated and Registered Cultural Properties, PDF as of April 1, 2026 (Japanese)
- https://www.city.chofu.lg.jp/documents/2369/bunnkazai08.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
