A Mint-Green Gem of Showa-Era Architecture
Tucked among the traditional townhouses of Yonago's historic castle town district, the Former Yonago Kakubancho Post Office stands out with its distinctive mint-green clapboard exterior. Built in 1935 during the early Showa period, this charming two-story wooden building served as a tokutei (designated) post office for nearly five decades. Today, after careful seismic retrofitting and restoration, it has been reborn as "YORAIYA Kakuban," a multifunctional community hub that preserves the best of its architectural heritage while welcoming a new chapter of neighborhood life.
Historical Background
The tokutei post office system traces its origins to the founding of Japan's modern postal service in the Meiji era. Under this system, local notables provided land and buildings at their own expense and served as postmasters. Early tokutei offices were often converted rooms within private residences, but as the system matured, purpose-built structures appeared—many adopting the Western architectural styles fashionable at the time. The result was a wave of small, charming "Western-style" post offices in towns and villages across Japan.
The Kakubancho Post Office was constructed in 1935 and operated as a postal facility until 1984. After its postal service days ended, the ground floor's southern entrance area was converted into "Kakuban Bunko," a beloved neighborhood bookshop that served the community from 1989 until April 2021. During these years, however, the building gradually deteriorated.
In 2014, when demolition was being considered, the building was transferred free of charge to the NPO Yumekura Project, a group of architectural professionals and community volunteers dedicated to preserving and revitalizing Yonago's downtown heritage. Through a successful crowdfunding campaign and with support from municipal grants, the building underwent comprehensive seismic reinforcement and renovation. The renovation was completed in February 2024, and the building reopened as YORAIYA Kakuban in April 2024.
Why It Was Designated a Cultural Property
In November 2024, the Agency for Cultural Affairs recommended the Former Yonago Kakubancho Post Office for registration as a Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property. The building is significant for several reasons.
While the Yonago castle town area saw several Western-style buildings erected during the same era, those structures were typically built of reinforced concrete with stone or brick-like exteriors—substantial, formal Western architecture. The Former Kakubancho Post Office, by contrast, is a rare surviving example of a wooden building finished in Western style by local carpenters. Its paint-coated clapboard siding is essentially the only overtly Western element, making it an intriguing example of how provincial craftsmen interpreted Western architectural trends in the early Showa period.
As the sole remaining wooden Western-style building in the former castle town area, it serves as an important visual accent among the rows of traditional machiya townhouses. The restoration was carried out with great care to preserve the original external appearance while sensitively reinforcing the structure for modern safety standards.
Architectural Highlights
The building is a two-story wooden structure with a hip roof covered in red clay tiles (aka-sangawara). The ground floor measures approximately three ken (about 5.4 meters) in frontage and five and a half ken (about 10 meters) in depth. Original architectural drawings have been discovered, providing clear documentation of the building's original layout and room functions.
On the ground floor, the southern three-ken section originally housed the post office operations: a one-ken lobby (public room) at the entrance and a two-ken office space behind, separated by a service counter. There were also a telephone room and a parcel storage room. The northern section contained staff quarters with a western-side entrance, and an attached wing (no longer extant) once housed a dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and lavatory.
The second floor spans three ken by four ken and features a six-tatami staff room with a two-tatami anteroom facing the street on the southwest side. On the north side sits an eight-tatami reception room appointed with an alcove (tokonoma), decorative shelving (tana), and closets, with refined nageshi rails and ranma transoms—details reflecting the quality expected of a room used for hosting visitors. The second floor retains its original saobuchi ceilings throughout and has undergone remarkably little alteration.
The exterior features clapboard siding with white plaster (shikkui) applied only above the second-floor windows. The windows are glass-fitted but use side-hinged casement and sliding styles rather than the vertical sash windows more typical of Western architecture. During restoration, the clapboard was repainted in the refreshing mint-green color believed to match the original scheme, based on paint traces found on the first-floor window frames. The building area measures 56 square meters.
YORAIYA Kakuban – A New Life as a Community Space
The name "YORAIYA" derives from a friendly local dialect expression meaning "come on over" or "drop by." Since its reopening in April 2024, the facility has served as a multifunctional community hub in the heart of Yonago's downtown.
The ground floor houses a coffee shop, a book corner called "Kakuban Bunko" (honoring the building's bookshop heritage), and an exhibition and sales area that functions as a community space. The second floor offers rental office space and a multipurpose room with 14-tatami Japanese-style flooring, available for workshops, meetings, and cultural events.
YORAIYA Kakuban also serves as a shared kitchen and challenge shop, where aspiring entrepreneurs can test business ideas—from cafés and cooking classes to handmade goods galleries and art exhibitions. This concept supports the growing trend of parallel careers and side businesses while contributing to the revitalization of Yonago's old downtown area.
Visitor Information
The Former Yonago Kakubancho Post Office is located in the Kakubancho district of central Yonago, within easy walking distance of the city's main commercial and cultural attractions. The building's eye-catching mint-green exterior makes it easy to spot along the streetscape of the old castle town.
Visitors should note that YORAIYA Kakuban operates primarily as a community facility; hours and accessibility may vary depending on scheduled events and tenant activities. It is recommended to check current information before visiting.
Nearby Attractions
The area surrounding the Former Kakubancho Post Office is rich with historical and cultural sites that make for excellent combined itineraries.
- Yonago Castle Ruins (Nationally Designated Historic Site): A 15-minute walk to the summit offers panoramic 360-degree views of the city, Mt. Daisen, the Sea of Japan, and Lake Nakaumi. Once hailed as the finest castle in the San'in region.
- Kamo River and White-Walled Storehouses: The former outer moat of Yonago Castle, lined with atmospheric white-walled warehouses, cafés, and Jizo statues. Pleasure boat cruises are available.
- Yonago Shitamachi (Downtown) Heritage Walk: Guided walking tours through the well-preserved castle town streets, featuring traditional machiya townhouses, narrow alleys, and the unique Teramachi temple district with nine temples in a row.
- Kaike Onsen: One of the San'in region's premier hot spring resorts, located along the coast approximately 15 minutes by bus from the city center.
- Mt. Daisen: The highest peak in the Chugoku region and a sacred mountain of ancient Shugendo practice, offering superb hiking and seasonal scenery.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Tottori
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Yonago Kakubancho Post Office Building (YORAIYA
- [ Tottori Sand Dunes & Camel Riding Experience ]
Q＆A
- What does the name "YORAIYA" mean?
- "YORAIYA" comes from the local San'in dialect, roughly meaning "come on in" or "stop by." It reflects the facility's mission as an inviting, open community space where anyone is welcome to visit.
- Can visitors go inside the building?
- Yes. YORAIYA Kakuban operates as a community facility with a ground-floor café and book corner. The second floor is available as a rental space. Hours and access may vary, so it is advisable to confirm current schedules before visiting.
- Why is the building painted mint green?
- During the 2023–2024 renovation, traces of the original paint color were found on the first-floor window frames. The refreshing mint green was determined to be the building's original color from when it was constructed in 1935, and it was faithfully restored.
- How do I get to the Former Yonago Kakubancho Post Office?
- The building is located in the Kakubancho 3-chome district of Yonago. From JR Yonago Station, it is approximately 1.5 kilometers—about 20 minutes on foot or a short bus or taxi ride. The nearest bus stop in the area is along the Kakubancho route.
- What is a "tokutei post office"?
- A tokutei (designated) post office was a category of post office established during the Meiji era in which local community leaders donated land and buildings to the postal service and served as postmasters. Many of these offices featured Western-style architecture, and surviving examples are valued as cultural heritage.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Yonago Kakubancho Post Office (YORAIYA Kakuban) |
|---|---|
| Japanese Name | 旧米子角盤町郵便局舎（ＹＯＲＡＩＹＡ角盤） |
| Designation | Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Built | 1935 (Showa 10) |
| Structure | Two-story wooden construction, hip roof with red clay tiles (aka-sangawara) |
| Building Area | 56 square meters |
| Address | 3-chome-82 Kakubancho, Yonago, Tottori Prefecture 683-0812, Japan |
| Owner | NPO Yumekura Project (特定非営利活動法人夢蔵プロジェクト) |
| Current Use | Community exchange facility (shared kitchen, coworking space, rental rooms, café, bookshop corner) |
| Access | Approximately 20 minutes on foot from JR Yonago Station; short ride by bus or taxi |
References
- 国登録有形文化財 旧米子角盤町郵便局舎（YORAIYA角盤）／米子市ホームページ
- https://www.city.yonago.lg.jp/44911.htm
- 旧米子角盤町郵便局舎が国登録有形文化財となります／米子市ホームページ
- https://www.city.yonago.lg.jp/44853.htm
- 旧郵便局を多機能複合施設に生まれ変え、下町を元気にする！ - READYFOR
- https://readyfor.jp/projects/yoraiya-kakuban
- 城下町米子観光ガイド｜米子観光ナビ
- https://www.yonago-navi.jp/yonago/shitamachi/sightseeing/kamogawa/
- 米子城跡｜米子観光ナビ
- https://www.yonago-navi.jp/yonago/shitamachi/sightseeing/yonago-castle-trace/
Last verified: 2026.03.29