A small storehouse behind the front storehouse
The Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse (森田家住宅味噌蔵, Morita-ke Jūtaku Misogura) is a single-storey earthen storehouse in Ogawa, Akiruno City, Tokyo, built between 1830 and 1868 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 24 December 2013, registration number 13-0316.
The Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse stands toward the southeast of the lot, directly behind the front storehouse, with its ridge running north to south. It is a gabled Dozo-zukuri building of 4.7 metres by 3.6 metres and 17 square metres in area, entered on its long side (Hirairi). Among the Morita buildings, only the family chapel is smaller.
Why it was listed
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse as an earthen storehouse that carries the layout of an Edo-period homestead, and notes that it is still used to store food. Many listed storehouses survive only as preserved shells; this one still does the job it was built for.
Miso was made at home and left to mature for a year or more, and the stable temperature inside thick earthen walls suited that slow fermentation. In a household that kept separate stores for rice, family goods and trade, this was the one for the pantry.
What to look for
The walls of the Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse are finished in white Shikkui plaster, and the doorway on the west side is framed by a raised plaster surround moulded like a picture frame. On an otherwise plain wall, that one detail gives the little building a front.
The detached roof is corrugated sheet metal on a simple gable, and, as the family's description points out, its eaves project a long way to keep rain off the walls. That is why the roof looks generous for such a small body. Inside, the roof is carried on a conventional Wagoya frame.
Visiting
The Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse is still in use for storing food and is not open inside. Because it sits within the grounds behind the front storehouse, only part of its roof shows from the street.
A closer look requires the owner's permission. There is no posted rule on photography. Directions are on the Morita Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- Can you visit the Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse?
- The Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse is still used for food storage and is closed inside. It stands within the grounds, so from the street only part of its roof is visible behind the front storehouse. Entering the grounds needs the owner's permission.
- When was the Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse built?
- In the late Edo period, between 1830 and 1868.
- Is the Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse still used?
- Yes. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs it is still used to store food.
- How large is the Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse?
- It is a single-storey earthen storehouse measuring 4.7 metres by 3.6 metres, with a building area of 17 square metres.
- When was the Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse registered?
- On 24 December 2013, as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property with registration number 13-0316.
Basic Information
| Name | Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse (森田家住宅味噌蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 633-1 Konaka, Ogawa, Akiruno City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/12/24 (Heisei 25); registration no. 13-0316 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey earthen storehouse; 4.7 metres by 3.6 metres; building area 17 square metres |
| Owner | Not published (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Closed (still used for storage) |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Morita Family Residence Miso Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009731
- Kanmi Sabō Misegura Hisamori: cultural properties
- https://www.hisamori.biz/pages/10/
- Akiruno City: designated and registered cultural properties in Akiruno
- https://www.city.akiruno.tokyo.jp/kanko/0000001910.html
Last verified: 2026.09.25
