A Soba Shop of the Early Showa Period
The Shinkaiya (進開屋) is a soba noodle shop of the early Showa period in Sengoku, Bunkyo City, Tokyo, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 18, 2003 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 52 square metres; registration number 13-0142.
An Earth-Floored Dining Room and Upstairs Rooms
Shinkaiya is a two-storey timber building built as a soba noodle shop (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The front of the ground floor is an earth-floored dining area with tables and chairs, and the back is divided into earth-floored and boarded kitchens. Stairs from the dining area lead to two tatami rooms for guests upstairs, one at the front and one at the back.
Its tall front has a projecting lattice on the ground floor, deep eaves on cantilevered beams on the upper floor and railings of pierced boards at the windows (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes its tall, well-ordered front as a soba shop, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the ground-floor lattice, the deep upper eaves and the pierced-board railings (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The Agency database does not list the owner. No official information on public access was found.
Q&A
- When was Shinkaiya built?
- In the early Showa period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What kind of shop was it?
- A soba noodle shop.
- How is it laid out?
- A dining area and kitchens downstairs and two guest rooms upstairs.
- What does the front look like?
- A projecting lattice below and deep eaves with pierced-board railings above.
- When was the Shinkaiya registered?
- On March 18, 2003 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Shinkaiya (進開屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-30-6 Sengoku, Bunkyo City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2003/03/18 (Heisei 15) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber, tiled roof, 52 m² |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | No official information on access |
References
- Shinkaiya (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003198
Last verified: 2026.10.23