What the Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse Is
The Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse (中野家住宅穀物蔵, Nakano-ke Jūtaku Kokumotsugura) is a late Edo-period storehouse in Shimoichi, Heki-kami, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 6, 2024.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period, 1751 to 1830, making it the oldest of the eight registered buildings in the compound. It is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri earthen-walled storehouse with a tiled roof and a building area of 27 square metres.
It stands northwest of the shop and main house, under a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles with the ridge running north to south.
Why It Was Registered
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape; the Agency notes that it shapes the view within the property together with the main house.
Yamaguchi Prefecture records a tradition that when a great fire struck the Nakano property in the Edo period, the Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse survived unburned. Among buildings that were mostly rebuilt from the Meiji era onward, it is the one direct link to the Edo-period compound, and a reminder of what a fireproof storehouse was for.
What to Look For
The walls are finished in Shikkui lime plaster, with a skirt of stone slabs around the base to protect the earthen wall from splashing rain and damp.
There are two doors, one toward the north end of the east side and one in the middle of the south side, and a window on the upper floor of the east side.
Inside, each floor is plank-floored and divided into north and south rooms, and the north room is open to the roof above the middle of its ground floor. The national database includes a photograph of the roof space.
Visiting
The Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse is inside a privately owned compound and is not open; as of September 2026 no openings had been announced. It sits behind the main house and is largely hidden from the road, so please do not enter the grounds. The layout of the compound, past openings and directions from Nagato-Furuichi Station are on the Nakano Family Residence (Heki, Nagato) page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamaguchi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse
- [ Kintaikyo Bridge & Hagi Castle Town Tours ]
Q&A
- How old is the Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period (1751 to 1830), the oldest of the eight registered buildings in the compound.
- Did the Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse really survive a fire?
- Yamaguchi Prefecture records that it came through a great fire that struck the Nakano property in the Edo period.
- Why was the Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse registered?
- It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, shaping the view within the compound together with the main house.
- What is the inside of the Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse like?
- Each floor is plank-floored and split into two rooms, with the north room open to the roof above the middle of its ground floor.
- Can I see the Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse?
- It is inside a private compound and not open to the public, and it is mostly hidden from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 6057 Shimoichi, Heki-kami, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2024/3/6 (Reiwa 6), registration no. 35-0116 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey earthen-walled storehouse, tiled roof, building area 27 square metres |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (privately owned) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014954
- Yamaguchi Prefecture Cultural Properties: Nakano Family Residence Grain Storehouse
- https://bunkazai.pref.yamaguchi.lg.jp/bunkazai/summary.asp?mid=110240
Last verified: 2026.09.24
