About the Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse
The Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse (髙橋家住宅衣装蔵, Takahashi-ke Jūtaku Ishōgura) is a clay-walled storehouse built around 1875 in Shimohoya 3-chome, Nishitokyo City, Tokyo, and was entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on March 27, 2018. It is a 2-story Dozo-zukuri building with a metal roof and a building area of 25 square meters.
It stands north of the main house, facing south. An extension was added in 1972 and the building was renovated in 1987. In Japanese farm and merchant houses, an ishōgura is generally the storehouse for kimono, bedding and the utensils brought out for weddings and seasonal events. What this particular family kept in it is not recorded in any published source that could be found.
A Square Plan, 3 Ken by 3 Ken
The Takahashi Clothing Storehouse is square, 3 Ken on each side. Like its neighbor, it has a gabled Okiyane, a roof built as a separate frame and set over the sealed clay body.
Put it beside the estate's other storehouse and the contrast is instructive. The two date from about the same time and cover the same 25 square meters, but the storehouse is a long box, 4 ken by 2 ken, while this one is square. The family built two storehouses of equal size in different shapes, which hints that they were meant for different jobs.
Washed Stone at the Base, Black Plaster on the Doors
The walls of the Takahashi Clothing Storehouse are finished in white Shikkui lime plaster. In a Showa-era renovation the lower band of wall was redone in artificial stone with an Araidashi finish: cement mixed with crushed stone is applied, then washed before it sets so the aggregate shows. The rough grey base under the smooth white upper wall is the first thing you notice about this building.
On the southeast side, the doorway and window have heavy paired doors finished in black plaster. A thick plaster band, the Hachimaki, runs under the eaves, and a small ledge part way down the wall throws off rainwater. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes this work as careful and thorough, and it rewards a close look where the black doors meet the white wall.
Why the Clothing Storehouse Was Registered
The Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape; the Agency for Cultural Affairs says it helps form the estate's historic scene.
What survives is a Meiji clay storehouse with Showa additions: the washed-stone base and the 1972 extension. Registration covers the building as it has been used and adapted, not only as first built.
Seeing the Takahashi Clothing Storehouse
The Takahashi Clothing Storehouse stands inside the estate, north of the main house, and is not open to the public (checked September 2026). Little of it can be seen from outside the property. There is no official guidance on photography; please be considerate of the family living here. Directions are on the Takahashi Family Residence (Nishitokyo) page.
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Q&A
- When was the Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse built?
- Around 1875. It was extended in 1972 and renovated in 1987.
- How is the Takahashi Clothing Storehouse different from the estate's other storehouse?
- They are about the same age and both cover 25 square meters, but the clothing storehouse is square, 3 ken by 3 ken, while the other is 4 ken by 2 ken.
- What should I look for on the Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse?
- The washed artificial-stone base below the white plaster walls, the black-plastered doors on the southeast side and the plaster band under the eaves.
- When did the Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On March 27, 2018.
- Can I visit the Takahashi Clothing Storehouse?
- No. It is inside a private home and closed to the public (checked September 2026).
Basic Information
| Name | Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse (髙橋家住宅衣装蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 862 Shimohoya 3-chome, Nishitokyo City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2018 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 25 m²; 3 ken by 3 ken (dozo-zukuri, 2 stories) |
| Owner | Not disclosed (private residence) |
| Public Access | Not open (exterior only, from outside the property) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012131
- Cultural Heritage Online: Takahashi Family Residence Clothing Storehouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/436670
Last verified: 2026.09.29
