What Is the Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse?
The Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse (寒川家住宅土蔵, Sōgawa-ke Jūtaku Dozō) is a two-storey earthen-walled storehouse southeast of the main house on the Sogawa family homestead in Hidakagawa Town, Wakayama Prefecture; built between 1883 and 1897, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 24, 2013.
It stands with its ridge running north to south and measures 6.8 metres by 5 metres. Built in the Dozo-zukuri fireproof storehouse manner, it has a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki tiles and a building area of 34 square metres. It has long held the household's goods and furnishings.
After the main house, the Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse is the oldest of the seven registered structures. Standing to the right of the front gate and some way behind it, its white walls are one of the first things you notice about the homestead.
Why the Storehouse Was Registered
It qualifies under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the storehouse lifts the whole look of the homestead.
The Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education makes the same point from the lane: the white walls show up clearly from the front. Black walls, a cedar-bark gate and, behind them, a white storehouse; that is the face this homestead presents to the village.
A Floating Roof and a Timber Skirt
The roof is of the okiyane type: a separately framed roof set on top of the sealed earthen box rather than built into it. The gap between the two lets air circulate and helps the storehouse survive a fire, a common solution on Japanese storehouses.
The walls are finished in white Shikkui lime plaster, except at the base, where vertical boards are nailed on and their joints covered with thin battens. The boards take the rain splash that would otherwise eat into the plaster, and the contrast of pale wall above and weathered wood below is the building's most striking feature.
The door is on the west side under a small canopy, facing the main house for easy use from inside the homestead.
Visiting the Storehouse
The Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse belongs to a private home. The interior is closed and the grounds cannot be entered.
From the lane on the south side, look to the right of the front gate and a little behind it. The white walls and the roof line are easy to pick out, which makes this one of the most visible structures on the homestead. Please keep photographs to the lane and stay off the property. Directions are on the Sogawa Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Wakayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse
- [ Koyasan & Kumano Kodo World Heritage Trails ]
Q&A
- When was the Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse built?
- Between 1883 and 1897, in the mid-Meiji period. After the main house it is the oldest of the seven registered structures.
- How big is the Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse?
- Two storeys, 6.8 metres by 5 metres, with a building area of 34 square metres.
- What is the floating roof on the Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse?
- A roof framed separately and set on top of the earthen storehouse body, leaving a gap between them that helps ventilation and fire protection.
- When was the Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse registered?
- On December 24, 2013, together with the six other structures on the Sogawa homestead, as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. The criterion is its contribution to the historic landscape of the country.
- Can I see the Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse from outside?
- Yes. From the lane on the south side its white walls are visible to the right of the front gate. The interior is closed and the grounds cannot be entered.
Basic Information
| Name | Sogawa Family Residence Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 273 Sogawa, Hidakagawa-cho, Hidaka-gun, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/12/24 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey earthen storehouse, tiled roof; building area 34 square metres; 6.8 metres by 5 metres |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private home; exterior viewable from outside the grounds) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 寒川家住宅土蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009821
- Wakayama Cultural Heritage portal (Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education): Sogawa Family Residence
- https://wakayama-bunkazai.jp/bunkazai/bunkazai-spot-881/
- Hidaka Shimpo: report on the registration recommendation (July 21, 2013)
- https://hidakashimpo.co.jp/?p=22856
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: registration criteria for Registered Tangible Cultural Properties
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/toroku_yukei_kijun.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
