Sankyo Soko
This earthen storage for rice is in Sakata, once a lively port city where rice was shipped out. Sakai Family, the former domain lord, built 14 storehouses in 1893. 12 of them are standing today. 9 of the 12 were still used up until the end of 2022 to store 10,800 tons of rice, designated in 2021 as a national historic site.
When I visited the Sankyo Soko storehouses, the long row of old rice warehouses lined up beside the magnificent zelkova-lined path created such an amazing atmosphere. Every quick photo looked like a movie still. Walking through the area, I could really feel Sakata’s former prosperity as a major rice hub, and also appreciate the charm of these historic buildings being preserved to this day.
