The Front Gate
The Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate (旧根岸家住宅表門) is a timber gate of the early Showa period (1926 to 1945) in Iwamoto-cho, Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on January 26, 2011 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a timber gate with a tiled roof, 3.9 metres wide, with a lavatory attached; registration number 18-0089.
The gate stands just across a small bridge over the waterway that runs beside the street, and faces the street directly (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It marks the front of the compound and is the building closest to the road.
How the Gate Is Built
The roof is a gable (Kirizuma-zukuri) of pantiles, and a lavatory is attached on the north side. Square posts at each end are locked together by tie beams; Udeki brackets project front and back to carry the eave purlins, and widely spaced single-layer Taruki rafters hold up the eaves (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The northern half is closed with a board wall, into which a sliding board door can be drawn (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The gate was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a simple gate that marks off the front of the compound.
Waterway, bridge, gate and the main house beyond show the route from street to home in a single view, and of the three registered buildings the Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate does the most to shape the streetscape.
What to Look For
Only two posts carry the 3.9-metre opening, joined by tie beams. The eaves pushed out front and back on brackets give the gate a light look.
The built-in lavatory is the detail that catches the eye. Together with the board wall on the north half, it makes the two sides of the gate quite different.
Visiting
The Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate faces the street, so it can be seen across the waterway from the road. The ground beyond it is private, and no official information on access was found; please do not cross the bridge or pass through the gate.
Q&A
- Where is the Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate?
- At the front of the Former Negishi Family Residence, 8-1 Nakamachi, 16 Iwamoto-cho, Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, facing the street across a bridge over a waterway (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can you see the Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate?
- Yes, from the street across the waterway. No official information was found on access beyond the gate.
- What is distinctive about the Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate?
- It is a gabled, pantiled gate 3.9 metres wide with a lavatory built onto its north side, its eaves carried on projecting brackets (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate built?
- In the early Showa period (1926 to 1945), according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
- When was the Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate registered?
- On January 26, 2011 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate (旧根岸家住宅表門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 8-1 Nakamachi, 16 Iwamoto-cho, Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/1/26 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 3.9 m wide |
| Owner | NPO Forest Energy Forum (NPO法人森のエネルギーフォーラム) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street (no information on entry) |
References
- Former Negishi Family Residence Front Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008454
Last verified: 2026.10.20
