The face of the storehouse is, of course, its double doors !

Big and thick, they are chock full of ingenuity and wisdom, designed to protect against fire. They are so important that they are said to account for close to half of the total construction cost. Ninomachi Yard has great, thick doors. They are just a little crooked from long years of use, and show signs of having been chewed on by a mouse, but they still look pretty good.

There is a lot of that wonderful ingenuity inside, too.

The first floor was for storing rice, wheat and other grains, as well as beans, and preserves such as miso and pickles. Upstairs is where they kept valuables and important household goods. The earthen floor inside the entrance helps maintain a stable temperature and humidity level. That is vitally important if you want your pickles and miso to taste right! The raised wooden platform in the back half is where the grain was stored. It's like a big refrigerator for keeping food all year long! This storehouse was so wonderful, I felt the need to revive it by turning it into a guest house.

Deep in the mountains, close to the sky; the summer is short and the snow deep. I hope you can get a taste of Hida in this 120 year old historic storehouse.