About the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse
The Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse (遠藤家住宅家財蔵, Endō-ke Jūtaku Kazaigura) is a 2-storey earthen-walled storehouse from the end of the Edo period (1830 to 1867) at 486 Bōryō, Daisen Town, Tottori Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 18, 2003.
The Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse stands west of the main house at the back of the estate. It is a Dozo-zukuri storehouse of 47 m² with a gabled pantile roof running north to south, and a Hisashi pent roof on the east side, which is its front. A kazaigura held a household's movable property: furniture, utensils, clothing and the like.
The Only Model of Form Among Five
Of the five registered structures of the Endo Family Residence, only the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse was registered as a model of form. The other four were chosen for their part in the landscape; this is the one valued for the quality of the building itself.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs points to the care taken in its construction, above all the finish lavished on the east front, which makes it a fair example of what a provincial storehouse could be.
A White Front and Board-Clad Sides
The walls of the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse are finished differently on different sides. The south, north and west walls are covered with Shitami-itabari weatherboarding that keeps rain off the earthen walls. The east front alone is plastered white in Shikkui, with bands of Namako-kabe on either side of the upper-floor window.
Namako-kabe is made by fixing flat tiles to the wall and raising the joints between them in rounded ribs of plaster. It takes time and skill, and it looks the part. Dressing the face that people see and giving the back and sides practical boarding tells you a good deal about what this building was for.
Inside the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse
The ground floor of the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse is divided down the middle from north to south, and the northern half served as a rice store. In other words, a rice store was built into one corner of a store for household goods. The Agency's description does not say how the upper floor was used.
Seeing the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse
Because the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse sits at the far back of the estate, west of the main house, it is barely visible from the road on the east. The property is a private home and not open, so there is no way to approach it. Its finest feature, the namako-kabe, is on the east face turned toward the main house, so do not expect to see it from the street.
No official guidance on photography could be found as of September 2026.
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Q&A
- When was the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs database dates it to the end of the Edo period (1830 to 1867).
- Why is the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2003 for the care of its construction, the only one of the five Endo structures listed as a model of form.
- What is distinctive about the walls of the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse?
- The south, north and west walls are weatherboarded, but the east front is white plaster with namako-kabe tile work beside the upper-floor window.
- How was the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse used inside?
- The ground floor is divided north to south, and the northern half was used as a rice store.
- Can visitors see the Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse?
- No. It stands at the back of a private property and can hardly be seen from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Endo Family Residence Household Goods Storehouse (遠藤家住宅家財蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 486 Bōryō, Daisen Town, Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2003 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 47 m² (2-storey dozo-zukuri storehouse) |
| Owner | Not disclosed |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (barely visible from the road) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 遠藤家住宅家財蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003304
- Cultural Heritage Online: 遠藤家住宅家財蔵
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/116184
- Daisen Town: Endo Family Residence (main house and four other structures)
- https://www.daisen.jp/10/33/1/s148/u165/
- Daisen Town: Endo Family Residence (town-designated cultural properties)
- https://www.daisen.jp/10/33/1/w930/u165/
Last verified: 2026.09.30
