About the Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse
The Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse (坂口家住宅土蔵, Sakaguchi-ke Jūtaku Dozō) is a two-story earthen-walled storehouse built in 1896 at the south end of the Sakaguchi Family Residence in Odakamachi, Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, facing the former outer moat of Yonago Castle, and it was registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
It measures 8.6 meters long and 5.0 meters deep, with a building area of 43 square meters. It is a Dozo-zukuri building with a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki pan tiles, its ridge running east to west. It went up four years after the Main House, at the back of the property on the bank of the old Kamo River.
Why the Sakaguchi Storehouse Was Registered
The Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse was registered with the Main House and three other structures as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property that contributes to the historic landscape. Its registration number is 31-0145, dated April 28, 2009.
The assessment is about the view from the water. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the storehouse as one part of the row of storehouses along the old moat. The old Kamo River was the main channel for carrying goods through the castle town, and the merchants' storehouses on its banks shaped the waterside scene. The Sakaguchi Storehouse is one of those that still stand in that line.
What to Look For at the Sakaguchi Storehouse
Two different faces
The Sakaguchi Storehouse is finished differently on its inner and river sides. The north front, facing the courtyard, has Namako-kabe up to waist height: flat tiles set in a lattice with raised lime-plaster joints, which shield the base of the wall from rain and splashing mud.
On the south side toward the old moat, vertical boards are fixed high up the wall, covering the face that takes the weather. From the house you see the tiled lattice; from the river you see the boarded side.
Windows with small roofs
The moat-side wall has two windows on the upper floor and one on the ground floor, each sheltered by a small Hisashi canopy. Set into the broad boarded surface, two above and one below, they give the storehouse its face toward the river.
Viewing the Sakaguchi Storehouse
The interior of the Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse is not open to the public (checked October 2, 2026). Its most interesting side, the moat-side wall, is seen from the old Kamo River that flows past the south of the property. The tiled north front faces the inside of the property and is hard to see from the street.
When looking from the riverside, please stay off private land. Directions are on the Sakaguchi Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When was the Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1896. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
- Where is the Sakaguchi Storehouse located?
- It stands at the south end of the Sakaguchi Family Residence, facing the old Kamo River, which was the outer moat of Yonago Castle.
- What are the features of the Sakaguchi Storehouse walls?
- The north front has waist-high namako-kabe tile lattice, while the moat side is clad high with vertical boards and has two hooded windows upstairs and one downstairs.
- Why was the Sakaguchi Storehouse registered?
- It forms part of the row of storehouses along the old moat and was registered for contributing to the historic landscape.
- Can I go inside the Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse?
- No. The interior is closed, but the moat-side exterior can be seen from the old Kamo River side.
Basic Information
| Name | Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 13 Odakamachi, Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2009 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-story earthen-walled storehouse, 8.6 meters by 5.0 meters, building area 43 square meters |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Interior closed (exterior visible from the old Kamo River side) |
References
- Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007661
- Sakaguchi Family Residence Storehouse (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/187563
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties: Sakaguchi Family Residence (Yonago City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.yonago.lg.jp/36441.htm
- Sakaguchi Family Residence (Tottori Cultural Properties Navi, Tottori Prefecture, in Japanese)
- https://db.pref.tottori.jp/bunkazainavi.nsf/bunkazai_web_view/2E80ED6BA3408FCE4925796F0008007E
- New National Registration of Buildings in Tottori Prefecture (Tottori Prefectural Board of Education report, March 20, 2009, in Japanese)
- https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/secure/338687/houkokujikouko.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.02
