A brick wall that changes height halfway
Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall is the boundary wall of a merchant compound in Nakamachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, built about 1915 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 5 December 2019. It is of brick and runs 12 metres.
It lies along the northern edge, dividing the ground between the sodegura and the zashikigura from the neighbouring plot. Seen from the courtyard north of the main house, the wall is the backdrop.
It is the only structure, as opposed to building, among the seven items here. Its registration number, 07-0219, is the last of them.
Why it was listed
Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall was listed for contributing to the historic landscape. On this plot only it and the sodegura were judged on that ground.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it guards against fire spreading while composing the northern face of the property. It was recognised as doing both jobs at once.
Listing a wall on the same footing as a building is not unusual. Without the elements that draw the outline of a plot, the bearing of the premises is incomplete.
Why the height changes
The thing to look at is that the wall is not one height. It rises where it passes the forecourt of the sodegura and the proprietor's room in the main house, and drops where it runs along the courtyard.
The reason is plain. Where the neighbouring plot presses close and fire could carry, the wall is high; where the courtyard wants sky, it is low. Two opposed demands, fire and light, are settled in the profile of a single wall.
It is built on a cut-stone base, laid in English bond English bond and capped with Japanese roof tiles. Brick under clay tile is a combination often seen in town structures of the Taisho years. Stand in the courtyard and read the three layers from the ground up.
Visiting
Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall lies along the northern edge and cannot be seen from the street. You reach it on the paid visit, from the courtyard north of the main house.
Rather than face it square on, walk east and west across the courtyard. The point where the height steps becomes clear, and the 12 metres begin to register.
Admission, hours, closing days and directions are set out on the page for Fukunishi Honten.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukushima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall
- [ Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle & Ouchi-juku Village Tours ]
Q&A
- Why is Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall not one height?
- It rises where it passes the sodegura forecourt and the proprietor's room, to guard against fire, and drops along the courtyard to let light in.
- How is Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall built?
- On a cut-stone base, in English bond brickwork, capped with Japanese roof tiles: three layers reading from the ground up.
- How long is Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall?
- 12 metres, running along the northern edge between the sodegura and the zashikigura.
- Can Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall be seen from the street?
- No. It lies along the northern edge, so you see it from the courtyard on the paid visit.
- Under which criterion was Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall listed?
- For contributing to the historic landscape, under registration number 07-0219, the last of the seven.
Basic Information
| Name | Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 321 Nakamachi, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, and other locations |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019 (Reiwa 1) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Brick, length 12 metres |
| Owner | Aizuwakamatsu Urban Development Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Visible from the courtyard; not visible from the street |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database: Fukunishi Main Store Brick Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013026
- Fukunishi Honten official site
- https://fukunishi-honten.com/
Last verified: 2026.09.17
