Gallery Fzo (Fuchikawa Metal Office Co., Ltd.)

Gallery ef Kura: An Edo-Era Storehouse Reborn in Asakusa

In the heart of Tokyo's historic Asakusa district, just a short walk from the iconic Kaminarimon Gate of Sensoji Temple, there once stood a remarkable two-story earthen storehouse known as Gallery ef Kura. Built in 1868 — the final year of Japan's Edo period — by a prosperous timber merchant named Takeya Choshiro (the third generation), this dozo-style storehouse survived both the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the devastating air raids of World War II, making it one of the rarest surviving examples of Edo-period architecture in downtown Tokyo. Registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1998, the kura was lovingly transformed into an art gallery and cultural exchange space before its planned relocation to the grounds of Jindaiji Temple in Chofu City.

Historical Background

The storehouse was constructed in August 1868 by the third-generation head of the Takeya family, prosperous timber wholesalers who operated in the Zaimoku-cho (Timber Town) district along the Sumida River. An ink inscription preserved beneath the second-floor beams reads "August, the 4th year of Keio — Takeya Choshiro, Third Generation," placing the building's construction precisely at the moment when Japan was transitioning from the Edo to the Meiji era.

Originally used as a bunko-gura — a secure storehouse for safeguarding valuable documents and possessions — the building served the Takeya family's timber business for decades. After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, which devastated much of Tokyo, the kura remained standing thanks to its robust construction. It was then leased as a warehouse by the Muramori family, who ran a specialty metals trading company called Fuchikawa Kinzoku Jimusho (established 1925). Following World War II, during which the storehouse again survived while much of Asakusa burned in the Tokyo air raids, the Muramori family purchased both the land and the building.

For many years, the kura sat quietly as a storage facility until 1996, when the Taito Ward Cultural Property Protection Council conducted a survey that revealed its significant historical and architectural value. This discovery inspired a remarkable community-driven restoration effort: over 200 volunteers, including students from Tokyo University of the Arts, worked together to restore the storehouse. In April 1997, it reopened as Gallery ef, a unique art gallery and cafe/bar space that became one of Tokyo's most beloved cultural venues.

Why It Was Designated as a Cultural Property

Gallery ef Kura was officially registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 11, 1998. The registration recognized it under the criterion of being a structure that would be "difficult to reproduce" — a classification reserved for buildings whose construction techniques, materials, and historical context cannot be easily replicated in modern times.

The storehouse holds exceptional value as one of the very few surviving Edo-period dozo buildings in the shitamachi (downtown) area of Tokyo, a region that suffered catastrophic damage from both the 1923 earthquake and the 1945 air raids. Its survival through these two major disasters is a testament to the remarkable engineering of traditional Japanese storehouse construction, featuring thick earthen plaster walls approximately 30 centimeters deep, sturdy cypress (hinoki) pillars with a diameter of 16 centimeters, and pine (matsu) beams — all working together to create a structure of extraordinary resilience.

Architectural Highlights

The kura is a classic example of dozo-zukuri (earthen storehouse construction), a building technique refined over centuries to protect valuable goods from fire, earthquakes, and moisture. It is a two-story structure with a tiled roof, covering a building area of approximately 20 square meters. The architectural style is known as tsuma-iri, meaning the entrance faces the gable end of the building — a configuration common among merchant storehouses of the Edo period.

Inside, visitors would encounter massive exposed wooden beams and pillars, walls of layered earthen plaster, and beautifully lacquered floors that had been coated with more than ten layers of urushi lacquer during the 1990s restoration. The deep red-brown lacquer created a mirror-like surface that reflected artworks displayed on the walls, giving the gallery an intimate, almost sacred atmosphere. The entrance required visitors to stoop through a small traditional doorway and remove their shoes — a ritual that physically marked the transition from the modern city streets into a space infused with centuries of history.

The exterior walls still bore the reddish-brown scorch marks from the fires that raged through Asakusa during the 1945 air raids, serving as a visible reminder of the building's survival through Japan's most turbulent periods. The second-floor ink inscription by Takeya Choshiro remains one of the building's most precious historical features, providing precise documentation of the storehouse's origin.

Gallery ef: A Space for Art and Cultural Exchange

From its reopening in 1997 until its closure in 2022, Gallery ef operated as a multifaceted cultural space. The front area served as a cafe and bar, while the storehouse behind functioned as an art gallery, concert hall, and performance venue. The gallery specialized in showcasing emerging and unknown artists, with many exhibitions responding directly to the unique physical and historical character of the space.

Over the years, Gallery ef hosted a wide range of international collaborations, including art exhibitions, music concerts, and live performances. The venue also served as a community gathering place, hosting events such as children's overnight stays in the kura, which introduced younger generations to the building's heritage. The combination of art, history, and hospitality made Gallery ef a beloved institution among both local residents and international visitors exploring Asakusa.

Relocation to Jindaiji Temple

In 2022, urban redevelopment in the Kaminarimon area necessitated the demolition of the site. However, thanks to the efforts of architectural historian Inaba Kazuya — the same scholar who had first identified the kura's cultural significance in 1996 — a new home was found for the storehouse at Jindaiji Temple in Chofu City, Tokyo. The kura was carefully dismantled, with its timbers cleaned and preserved for eventual reassembly on the temple grounds, where it is planned to continue serving as a space for art exhibitions, concerts, and cultural exchange. This relocation represents the beginning of what its former owner, Muramori Keiko, has described as "the storehouse's third life," expressing hope that it will endure for another 100 or 200 years.

Visitor Information and Surrounding Attractions

While the kura has been dismantled from its original Asakusa location and is being relocated to Jindaiji Temple in Chofu City, the surrounding Asakusa area remains one of Tokyo's most vibrant cultural destinations. The original site was located near Azuma Bridge along the Sumida River, just minutes from Kaminarimon Gate.

Nearby attractions in Asakusa include Sensoji Temple, Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, with its famous Nakamise shopping street; Asakusa Shrine, an Important Cultural Property that also survived the war; and Kamiya Bar, established in 1880 and famous for its Denki Bran cocktail. For those interested in traditional craftsmanship, the Kappabashi Kitchen Street is a short walk away, offering an extraordinary selection of culinary tools and realistic food samples.

Visitors interested in following the kura to its new home can explore Jindaiji Temple in Chofu City, one of Tokyo's most atmospheric temple complexes, famous for its soba noodle restaurants and the adjacent Jindai Botanical Garden. Updates on the relocation project can be found through the official Asakusa Kura Project website.