A Shopfront with a Cast-Iron Arch
The Inamiya Buddhist Altar Shop (井波屋仏壇店) is a Buddhist altar shop of 1905 in Moriyamamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on September 2, 1998 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey timber shop with a tiled roof, covering 96 square metres; registration number 16-0044.
An Arched Window with Cast-Iron Scrolls
The Inamiya Buddhist Altar Shop is a small shop 3 bays wide and 6.5 bays deep, mostly earth-floored inside with rooms at the back (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Upstairs a terrace runs along the front bay, and the centre is open to the floor below.
The front has a distinctive design: a large arched window decorated with cast-iron arabesque scrolls (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape, a late Meiji shop that is well loved locally.
What to Look For
Look for the large arched window and its cast-iron scrollwork (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
No official information on the shop's business was found. The front can be seen from the street.
Q&A
- When was the Inamiya shop built?
- In 1905 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is special about its front?
- A large arched window with cast-iron scrolls.
- What is the inside like?
- Mostly earth-floored, with an open centre upstairs.
- How is Moriyamamachi read?
- Mo-ri-ya-ma-ma-chi, according to the Japan Post postcode data.
- When was the Inamiya Buddhist Altar Shop registered?
- On September 2, 1998 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Inamiya Buddhist Altar Shop (井波屋仏壇店) |
|---|---|
| Location | 37-1 Moriyamamachi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/09/02 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber, tiled roof, 96 m², 3 by 6.5 bays |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | Shop business not confirmed |
References
- Inamiya Buddhist Altar Shop (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000760
Last verified: 2026.10.18