🗺️ Kurayoshi White Wall Clay Warehouse Group

The Kurayoshi White-Walled Storehouse District is a designated important traditional building preservation area in Japan, lined along the banks of the Tamagawa River with many shops and warehouses built during the Edo to Taisho periods, still retaining the charm of the past. This old street flourished as the castle town of "Uchibukijo" during the Muromachi period, and in the Edo period, many samurai residences were built around the central government office. The charming street scene, rich in historical ambiance, is often referred to as "Little Kyoto." The Kurayoshi White-Walled Storehouse District consists of Honmachi Street, centered around traditional townhouses, and the banks of the Tamagawa River, where the white-walled storehouses stand. The buildings are characterized by black burnt cedar walls on the lower half and white plaster walls on the upper half, topped with Kurayoshi's unique red Sekishu tiles. Fifteen well-preserved storehouses, known as "Akagawara" (red-tiled), are important tourist attractions in the White-Walled Storehouse District. These Akagawara buildings have been repurposed for specialty shops, cafes, and workshops. Among them, Akagawara No. 10 serves as a tourist information center, and it is recommended to visit first. Nearby, there are many sake breweries and soy sauce warehouses, filling the air with delightful aromas all day long. Many of these breweries have been selected as one of the "100 Scenic Aromas" and "100 Most Beautiful Historical Landscapes in Japan." On the shopping street, one can see many signs from the Showa era, creating a strong nostalgic atmosphere that makes it hard to leave.

The warehouses with red Shijuku tiles on the roofs are lined up, creating a unique market landscape in Kurayoshi. The characteristic red tiles of the San'in region come from the Shijuku tiles of the Iwami area in Shimane Prefecture. Many shops offer locally brewed sake, beer, and wine. Near the white-walled earthen storehouses, there are attractions such as the Tottori Prefectural Museum of Art, the ACEPACK NASHIKKO Museum (Tottori 20th Century Pear Memorial Museum), and the Kurayoshi Model Museum of the Circular Theater.