A Lacquered Mausoleum of About 1631
The Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu (南部利康霊屋, Nanbu Toshiyasu Tamaya) is a small memorial hall of about 1631 in Nanbu Town, Sannohe District, Aomori Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on November 14, 1953 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a hall three bays across the front and two at the back, single-storey, with a hip-and-gable (irimoya) roof of wooden shingles and a one-bay porch; the managing body is Nanbu Town. The Aomori Prefectural Board of Education gives the owner as a private individual.
Dated by Two Deaths
The Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu enshrines Toshiyasu, a son of the daimyo Nanbu Toshinao. No document records when it was built, but the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education dates it to 1631 or 1632 from the years in which Toshiyasu and his father died, a date that also fits its style.
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The prefecture regards the Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu as a typical early Edo-period mausoleum. Black lacquer, polychrome painting and gilt metalwork are concentrated on a very small hall, the way a daimyo family honoured its dead.
What to Look For
The plan is a hall two bays square, widened to three bays at the front only, with a one-bay porch (Aomori Prefecture). Under its shingled hip-and-gable roof it is a tiny building.
The posts and beams outside are lacquered black and painted in places with brightly coloured patterns and pictures, set off with gilt fittings (Aomori Prefecture). In front of the Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu, look for the colour against the black timbers and the glint of the metalwork. Inside, the hall is divided into an inner and outer sanctuary, the inner one raised a step.
Visiting
According to the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education, the Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu is open to the public for a fee and closed from December 29 to January 3. For fees and hours, contact the Nanbu Town Board of Education social education section (0178-38-5969).
Its address, in the Shojuji locality of Nanbu Town, also falls within the national historic site of Shojuji Tate, the seat of the main Nanbu line from the Muromachi period to the Warring States period (Aomori Prefecture).
Q&A
- When was the Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu built?
- In about 1631 (Agency for Cultural Affairs); the prefecture dates it to 1631 or 1632.
- Who is enshrined in the Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu?
- Nanbu Toshiyasu, a son of Nanbu Toshinao (Aomori Prefecture).
- What should I look for?
- The black-lacquered timbers painted with bright patterns and pictures, and the gilt metal fittings.
- Can I visit the Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu?
- Yes, for a fee; it closes from December 29 to January 3. Contact the Nanbu Town Board of Education (0178-38-5969) for details.
- When was it designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On November 14, 1953 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu (南部利康霊屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | Nanbu Town, Sannohe District, Aomori Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1953/11/14 (Showa 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Three bays at the front, two at the back, single storey, hip-and-gable roof, one-bay porch, wooden shingle roof |
| Owner | Private owner (managing body: Nanbu Town) |
| Public Access | Open for a fee (closed December 29 to January 3) |
References
- Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/88
- Mausoleum of Nanbu Toshiyasu (Aomori Prefectural Board of Education, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/kyoiku/e-bunka/jubun_kenzoubutu_11.html
- Shojuji Tate Site (Aomori Prefectural Board of Education, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/kyoiku/e-bunka/kinen_siseki_14.html
Last verified: 2026.10.14