What Is the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building?
The Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building (羽前絹練株式会社第一仕上棟, Daiichi Shiage-tō) is the rinsing and drying shed of a working silk scouring works in Shinkaicho, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture; it was built in the late Taisho period (1919 to 1926), extended in the early Showa period, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 3 December 2024. Its footprint is 391 square meters.
The Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building sits at the heart of the factory. Cloth that has been through the hot baths of the scouring and dye houses comes here to be rinsed, spun and dried before moving on to the second finishing building.
Hipped at One End, Gabled at the Other
The building is a long single-storey shed running east to west under a pantile roof (Sangawara-buki). Look at the two ends: the west end is hipped (Yosemune-zukuri) while the east end is a plain gable (Kirizuma-zukuri). Two different roof terminations on one building make the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building easy to pick out.
The walls are clad in overlapping weatherboards (Shitami-itabari), and a raised ridge vent (Koshi-yane) runs along the top to bring in light and air. The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits that vent with shaping the look of the works, and registered the building for its contribution to the historic landscape.
An extension was added in the early Showa period, but neither the national database nor Tsuruoka City says which part of the building it is.
Roller Machines Under a King Post Truss
Inside, the floor is bare earth and the roof structure is left exposed: a King post truss, the standard Western roof frame with a single central post, which spans the whole width without interior columns.
The agency's interior photograph is captioned simply 'roll machine'. Wet cloth is handled at floor level while the ridge vent above lets in daylight and carries off moisture, a sensible pairing for a drying room.
Just to the north, the scouring building uses a queen post truss with two posts instead of one. The Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building and its neighbour date from the same late Taisho years yet were framed differently.
Visiting the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building
The Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building is a working part of the factory and is not open to visitors. As of 28 September 2026 no public tours were listed by the company or by Tsuruoka City.
Because it stands in the middle of the works, little of it can be seen from outside. Please stay on the public road and do not enter the site.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamagata
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building
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Q&A
- What is the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building?
- It is the shed at the centre of the Uzen Kenren silk works in Tsuruoka where scoured and dyed silk is rinsed, spun and dried.
- When was the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building built?
- In the late Taisho period, between 1919 and 1926, with an extension in the early Showa period.
- What does the roof of the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building look like?
- It is tiled with pantiles, hipped at the west end and gabled at the east end, with a raised ridge vent along the top for light and ventilation.
- When did the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 3 December 2024, as registration number 06-0225, largely for the ridge vent that shapes the look of the factory.
- Can I visit the Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building?
- No. It is a working part of the factory, its interior is closed, and it can only be seen from outside the site.
Basic Information
| Name | Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building (羽前絹練株式会社第一仕上棟) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21-5 Shinkaicho, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, etc. |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), No. 06-0225 |
| Year Designated | Registered 3 December 2024 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single storey, tile and sheet-metal roof, building area 391 square meters |
| Owner | Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Closed to the public (working factory) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00015135
- Cultural Heritage Online: Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. First Finishing Building (Agency for Cultural Affairs, in Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/620569
- Uzen Kenren Co., Ltd. and the seven buildings recommended for registration (Tsuruoka City, PDF, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.tsuruoka.lg.jp/bunka/rekishi/uzenkenren.files/uzenkenren.pdf
- Uzen Kenren Scouring Building and six others (Yamagata Prefecture, PDF, in Japanese)
- https://www100.pref.yamagata.jp/documents/19483/touroku_uzen.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.28
