A Storehouse Turned Photo Studio
The Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Gallery Building (塩谷定好写真記念館ギャラリー棟) is a two-storey storehouse-built structure dating from 1874 in Akasaki, Kotoura Town, Tottori Prefecture, which in 2015 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it joined to the east side of the main house, with an east-west ridge, a gabled pantile roof and plastered walls. It covers 35 square metres, and its roof is framed with sloping rafters.
It began as a storehouse and was converted after the war into a shop and photo studio. The Agency records alterations from 1946 to 1965 and again in 2014. Today it connects to the main house through its west gable wall.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that the Gallery Building harmonises with the main house and adds to the streetscape. Tottori Prefecture adds that it keeps the look of a storehouse and, with the main house, shapes the view along the old road.
Kotoura Town says Shiotani Teiko turned the ground floor into a shop selling photographs and tea, and the upper floor into a studio. The museum records that after the war he supported himself by running the Shiotani photo studio, and this building was its workplace.
What to Look For
From the road, the front of the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Gallery Building has an open lean-to supported on posts, a shop canopy added to a building first raised as a storehouse.
Look too at where it meets the main house. The link through the west gable shows how the two have been used as one. Kotoura Town describes the building as keeping the atmosphere of a photo studio.
Visiting the Gallery Building
The Gallery Building is part of the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum and can be visited during opening hours. The front lean-to is visible from the road on the north side.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Tottori
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Gallery Building
- [ Tottori Sand Dunes & Camel Riding Experience ]
Q&A
- When was the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Gallery Building built?
- It was built as a storehouse in 1874.
- What was the Gallery Building originally?
- A storehouse; after the war Shiotani Teiko made the ground floor a shop and the upper floor a photo studio.
- Can I visit the Gallery Building?
- Yes, as part of the museum; it closes on Tuesdays and admission is 300 yen for adults.
- What are the features of the Gallery Building?
- Plastered walls, an open lean-to across the front and a link to the main house through the west gable.
- When was the Gallery Building registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 17 November 2015.
Basic Information
| Name | Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum Gallery Building (塩谷定好写真記念館ギャラリー棟) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1561 Akasaki, Kotoura Town, Tohaku District, Tottori Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2015/11/17 (Heisei 27) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey storehouse construction, tiled roof, building area 35 square metres |
| Owner | Shiotani Teiko Photo Project (NPO) |
| Public Access | Open as the Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum (closed Tuesdays, adults 300 yen) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Gallery Building (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010883
- Cultural Heritage Online: Gallery Building (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/236498
- Kotoura Town: Registration of the Museum (Japanese)
- https://www.town.kotoura.tottori.jp/docs/2015071700023/
- Tottori Prefecture Cultural Properties Navi (Japanese)
- https://db.pref.tottori.jp/bunkazainavi.nsf/bunkazai_web_view/FF1DA5EDF799B4BE49257F6C001B6120?OpenDocument=
- Shiotani Teiko Photography Memorial Museum: About Shiotani Teiko (Japanese)
- https://teiko.jp/profile.php
Last verified: 2026.09.27
