A Corrugated-Iron Warehouse at the Corner
The Kojima Sohonten Warehouse (小嶋総本店倉庫) is a late Taisho-period (1919–1926) timber warehouse at the southeast corner of the Kojima Sohonten sake brewery in Honmachi, Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture, attached to the south end of No. 2 Storehouse and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 6 March 2024 under number 06-0216.
Single-storey, with an iron-sheet gable roof and a building area of 154 square metres, it closes the southern end of the row of buildings that runs down the eastern street from No. 1 and No. 2.
The Council for Cultural Affairs describes the buildings south of the house as serving both brewing and shipping. At the end of a line of earthen storehouses, this timber shed adds a different material to the street.
A Wedge-Shaped Join and a Braced Truss
The Kojima Sohonten Warehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic townscape, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs credits it with shaping the southeast corner of the compound.
Where it meets No. 2 Storehouse, the plan narrows into a trapezoid, with a door on the east side; the builders evidently bent the joint to fit an existing building on a fixed lot. The outer walls are clad in corrugated iron, a sharp contrast with the plaster of the storehouses.
The roof rests on a king post truss, with knee braces clamping each post to the tie beam. Inside, the walls are lined with rubbing boards, planks that keep stacked goods off the wall, a clear sign that this was a place for storing cargo.
What to Look For
Walk the eastern street from No. 2 to the Kojima Sohonten Warehouse and watch the wall change from white plaster and red tile to corrugated metal.
The trapezoidal link and the east-facing door are visible from the road. Morning sun from the east throws the ridges of the corrugation into sharp relief.
Visiting
The Kojima Sohonten Warehouse faces the street on the east, so its exterior can be seen from the public road. The interior is closed and the grounds cannot be entered; take photographs from the road.
The brewing floor opens once a year during the 360° Yonezawa Open Factory. Check that year's notice for which buildings are on the tour.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamagata
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kojima Sohonten Warehouse
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- When was the Kojima Sohonten Warehouse built?
- In the late Taisho period, between 1919 and 1926. It was registered on 6 March 2024.
- What does the Kojima Sohonten Warehouse look like?
- A timber shed clad in corrugated iron, joined to No. 2 Storehouse by a trapezoid-shaped section with a door on its east side.
- What is inside the Kojima Sohonten Warehouse?
- A king post truss roof with knee braces and walls lined with rubbing boards. The interior is closed to the public.
- Where can I see the Kojima Sohonten Warehouse?
- At the south end of the brewery's east side, from the public street.
- Is there a sake tour or tasting near the Kojima Sohonten Warehouse?
- The Honmachi compound where the Kojima Sohonten Warehouse 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 Warehouse (小嶋総本店倉庫) |
|---|---|
| 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 | Timber, single-storey, iron-sheet roof, building area 154 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 — 小嶋総本店倉庫
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014722
- 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
