Kura; design and tradition of the Japanese storehouse

Kura are traditional Japanese storehouses. They are durable buildings built from timber, stone or clay used to safely store valuable commodities. Kura in rural communities are normally of simpler construction and used for storing grain or rice. Those in town are more elaborate, with a structural timber frame covered in a fireproof, clay outer coating. Early religious kura were built in a "log cabin" style, while those used later to store gunpowder were constructed from stone. The author, a noted architectural historian, examines all types, from every district and age and every level of society. In capturing the essential qualities and characteristics of the traditional storehouse, this comprehensive volume presents a perceptive and elegant view of a little explored facet of Japanese culture.