The Sankyo Soko Storage Houses in Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, were used to store rice from the late 19th century. The twelve storage houses were built next to a canal to facilitate transportation of rice and are flanked by zelkova trees that provide shade during summer to keep temperatures within the storages down. They also feature two-layered roofs and other smart design choices that helped preserve the rice for a long time. The storage houses are still mostly in use today but feature internal technology upgrades to bring them up to date. If you are interested in the history of rice in this area, you should check out the Shonai Rice History Museum which was built inside one of the storage houses.