What the Nakano Family Residence Storehouse Is
The Nakano Family Residence Storehouse (中野家住宅土蔵, Nakano-ke Jūtaku Dozō) is a Taisho-era storehouse in Utsui-kami, Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 29, 2006.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the Taisho era, 1912 to 1925, and records a two-storey Dozo-zukuri earthen-walled storehouse with a tiled roof and a building area of 22 square metres. It stands southeast of the main house, its ridge running north to south.
It measures three Ken bays by two, under a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles, with a tiled canopy over the north side.
Why It Was Registered
The Nakano Family Residence Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, and the Agency's note is specific: it calls the storehouse the accent of the distant view. Among the low thatched roofs of the house and barn, this small white two-storey block is the only vertical element, and it is what catches the eye when you see the homestead from across the fields.
It is also the latest building on the site, added a century or more after the barn, a reminder that the homestead was built up over generations. The Agency records that its roof framing is of the type called yojiro-gumi, a detail hidden from view but noted as characteristic of this building.
What to Look For
The entrance is on the north side under the tiled canopy, where a heavy plastered fireproof door and a lighter wooden door slide one behind the other, the usual double arrangement on Japanese storehouses.
There is a window on the upper floor of the south side. The Shikkui lime-plastered walls have been temporarily clad in sheet metal for protection. Step back from the homestead and you will see the storehouse doing exactly what the Agency describes, its little gable standing up in front of the big thatched roof.
Visiting
The Nakano Family Residence Storehouse is on private property and is not open; as of September 2026 no openings had been announced. View it from the public road, from a distance, and keep residents out of any photographs. Directions are on the Nakano Family Residence (Utsui, Shimonoseki) page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamaguchi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nakano Family Residence Storehouse
- [ Kintaikyo Bridge & Hagi Castle Town Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Nakano Family Residence Storehouse built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the Taisho era (1912 to 1925). It was registered on November 29, 2006.
- How big is the Nakano Family Residence Storehouse?
- It is two storeys high, three bays by two, with a building area of 22 square metres.
- Why is the Nakano Family Residence Storehouse covered in metal sheets?
- The lime-plastered walls have been clad in sheet metal as a temporary protective measure.
- Why was the Nakano Family Residence Storehouse registered?
- It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape; the Agency describes it as the accent of the distant view of the homestead.
- Can I go inside the Nakano Family Residence Storehouse?
- No. It stands on a private homestead and is not open to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Nakano Family Residence Storehouse |
|---|---|
| Location | 2777 Utsui-kami, Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/11/29 (Heisei 18), registration no. 35-0052 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey earthen-walled storehouse, tiled roof, building area 22 square metres, 3 by 2 bays |
| Owner | Not listed in the ACA database |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nakano Family Residence Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006063
Last verified: 2026.09.24
