The Family Strongroom
The Kojima Sohonten Storehouse (小嶋総本店土蔵) is an early Meiji-period (1868–1882) document storehouse on the north edge of the Kojima Sohonten sake brewery in Honmachi, Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 6 March 2024. It was moved to its present position in 1974 and holds registration number 06-0217.
This is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse with a detached, iron-sheet-covered gable roof, and at 46 square metres it is about a third the size of the brewing storehouses. It was never used for sake. A bunkogura like this held a family's valuables and papers.
The Council for Cultural Affairs places it with the household shrine west of the main house, set apart from the brewing buildings that fill the south of the lot.
Careful Work on a Small Scale
The Kojima Sohonten Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic townscape. The official description praises the quality of its joinery and calls it the anchor of the compound's northern edge.
Its walls are white Shikkui plaster over a skirt of red-tiled Namako-kabe, the lattice of tiles and raised plaster joints that sheds snow-melt and rain splash. Nos. 1 and 2 Storehouses on the east side share the same finish.
The double doors are on the east side. Windows open only to the south, on both floors, facing into the compound rather than the street, which suits a building meant to keep things safe. The roof frame is plain: rafters laid across the tie beams.
What to Look For
Because the Kojima Sohonten Storehouse stands on the northern boundary, its blank north wall faces the lane. With no windows on that side, the white plaster and the red-and-white grid of the skirt read as one clean surface.
Look at the shadow line between wall and roof. The roof is a separate covering set over the earthen body, and the gap shows even from across the road.
Visiting
The interior of the Kojima Sohonten Storehouse is closed. View and photograph it from the public road on the north side, without entering the grounds.
The brewery opens its working areas once a year during the 360° Yonezawa Open Factory; whether the family storehouse is included is not stated, so check the notice.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kojima Sohonten Storehouse
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Q&A
- What is the Kojima Sohonten Storehouse?
- An early Meiji-period document storehouse on the north edge of the Kojima Sohonten compound: two storeys, 46 square metres, moved to its present site in 1974.
- Why is the Kojima Sohonten Storehouse a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 6 March 2024 for its contribution to the historic townscape, as a carefully built storehouse that anchors the northern side of the compound.
- What does the Kojima Sohonten Storehouse look like?
- White plaster walls over a red-tiled namako-kabe skirt, double doors on the east and windows only on the south side.
- Can you visit the Kojima Sohonten Storehouse?
- The interior is closed, but the exterior can be seen from the public road on the north side.
- Is there a sake tour or tasting near the Kojima Sohonten Storehouse?
- The Honmachi compound where the Kojima Sohonten 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 Storehouse (小嶋総本店土蔵) |
|---|---|
| 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 | Two-storey dozo-zukuri storehouse, iron-sheet roof, building area 46 square metres |
| Owner | Kojima Sohonten Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Interior closed; exterior visible from the public road (brewery open one day a year) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — 小嶋総本店土蔵
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014723
- 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
