The Brewing Hall at the Centre
Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse (小嶋総本店四号蔵) is a mid-Meiji-period (1883–1897) brewing storehouse at the centre of the Kojima Sohonten sake brewery in Honmachi, Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture, west of No. 3, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 6 March 2024 under number 06-0214.
This single-storey Dozo-zukuri building under a detached iron-sheet gable roof covers 148 square metres. It was built for fermenting sake, and No. 5 Storehouse of 1922 continues south from it.
Its north door opens onto the workshop, sharing a loading front with No. 3, and a second door in the south gable lets the building be crossed end to end.
Brick in the Footings, a Truss Overhead
Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic townscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a long brewing storehouse with double doors at both gable ends.
The footing is unusual. Two courses of brick sit on a cut-stone base, with another band of cut stone laid over them before the posts go up, a layered plinth that lifts the timber sill away from the damp of an earth-floored brewing room. The walls are finished in Shikkui plaster.
Inside is one earth-floored Doma under a king post truss, with struts set at mid-span of the rafters. Built in the middle Meiji years, it is an early use of the truss on this site, and next to the Edo-period No. 3 it shows how roof framing changed from one generation of storehouse to the next.
What to Look For
Find the two courses of brick sandwiched in the plinth of Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse, a stripe of red between stone and white plaster.
No. 3 next door looks similar at a glance, but its footing and roof frame are different. The yard where both buildings open onto the workshop is the working heart of the brewery.
Visiting
The Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse stands inside the compound, and only parts of its roof and walls show from the street. The interior is closed and the grounds cannot be entered; photographs can only be taken from the public road.
The brewing floor opens once a year during the 360° Yonezawa Open Factory, when the working storehouses are the focus of the tour. How much of No. 3, No. 4 and the workshop is shown varies with each year's programme.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamagata
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- When was Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse built?
- In the middle Meiji period, between 1883 and 1897. It was registered on 6 March 2024.
- What is unusual about the foundation of Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse?
- Two courses of brick are laid on a cut-stone base, capped by another band of cut stone before the posts are raised.
- What was Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse used for?
- Sake fermentation. It has double doors in both gable ends, a single earth-floored room and a king post truss roof.
- Can I visit Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse?
- It stands in the centre of the compound and its interior is closed, but the brewery opens once a year during the 360° Yonezawa Open Factory.
- Is there a sake tour or tasting near Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse?
- The Honmachi compound where Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse stands is normally closed, but the brewery's museum, Toko no Sakagura, a few minutes' walk away in Omachi, offers exhibits on sake-making and paid tastings. Check the Kojima Sohonten website for current hours and admission.
Basic Information
| Name | Kojima Sohonten No. 4 Storehouse (小嶋総本店四号蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 752 Honmachi 2-chome, Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture (and adjoining lots) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2024/03/06 (Reiwa 6) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey dozo-zukuri storehouse, iron-sheet roof, building area 148 square metres |
| Owner | Kojima Sohonten Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior closed; stands inside the compound (brewery open one day a year) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — 小嶋総本店四号蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014720
- Agency for Cultural Affairs press release — Council for Cultural Affairs report on registered buildings, 24 November 2023
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/koho_hodo_oshirase/hodohappyo/93969901.html
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — List of buildings recommended for registration, 24 November 2023 (PDF)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/koho_hodo_oshirase/hodohappyo/pdf/93969901_03.pdf
- Toko / Kojima Sohonten — Access
- https://www.sake-toko.co.jp/access/
- Toko / Kojima Sohonten — 360° Yonezawa Open Factory notice
- https://www.sake-toko.co.jp/news/4592/
Last verified: 2026.09.25
