Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2

What Is the Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2?

The Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 (佐野家住宅２番の蔵, Sano-ke Jūtaku Niban no Kura) is an earthen-walled storehouse built around 1900 in Onmadashi-machi, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, and it was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 21, 1998. It is second from the north in the row of four storehouses at the back of the Sano Family Residence, directly south of Storehouse No. 1.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists the Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 as a two-storey timber-framed building with a tiled roof and a building area of 20 square meters, registration number 16-0021, and describes it as almost identical in size and type to its northern neighbor.

Why the Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 Was Registered

The Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 was registered under the criterion of serving as a model of form. The agency's description focuses on two things: how its openings are protected, and how it joins the next storehouse.

The front doorway has a fire door, and the upper floor has only a small fireproof window. Keeping openings few and sealable is standard for a storehouse, but here it is laid out with unusual clarity across the facade.

The gap between this building and Storehouse No. 1 is walled off at the front on both floors, so the two act as one. Together they carry out the compound's plan of a solid firebreak along the rear of the lot.

Highlights of the Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2

The Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 is Hirairi, meaning its entrance is on the long side parallel to the ridge. The facade faces the courtyard, with the fire-door entrance below and the small window above.

Across the whole front runs a Hisashi, and according to the agency, sliding fittings were set beneath it to enclose a Kuramae: a roofed anteroom in front of the storehouse door. It served as a workspace for moving goods in and out and kept rain and snow off the heavy doors.

In daily use, the fire door could stand open while goods were handled, then be shut with the kuramae closed around it. The facade manages both routine work and fire protection.

Visiting the Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2

The Sano Family Residence Storehouse No. 2 is not open to the public and cannot be seen from the street, since it stands at the back of the lot beyond the courtyard.

The restaurant in the main house does not offer tours of the storehouses. Please respect the private property and do not enter the grounds or neighboring lots.