About the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall
The Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall (上野家住宅煉瓦塀, Ueno-ke Jūtaku Rengabei) is a brick boundary wall built in the late Meiji era (1898 to 1911) in Matsuyama-machi Muramatsu, Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2010. It runs for 24 meters.
The wall follows the street and then turns a right angle to run along the northern boundary with the neighboring plot. Of the seven registered structures on the estate, it is the one most visible from the road.
Why the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall Was Registered
The Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs finds its design striking for the way it contrasts with the plastered main house.
According to Kitakata City, kilns at Mitsuya in Iwatsuki-machi began firing brick and roof tile locally from the mid-Meiji era, and brick storehouses, walls and chimneys followed. A reddish glaze is the hallmark of the local brick. This wall shows that new material arriving at a family estate late in the Meiji era, though no record we found names the kiln its bricks came from.
Tall to the Street, Lower at the Back
The Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall is built of glazed brick in English bond and capped with pantiles.
Along the street it stands 2.6 meters high and 36 centimeters thick. Where it meets the neighbor on the north, it drops by 35 centimeters. The public side was given full height; the back boundary did not need it.
Near the southern end of the street side is an opening hung with an iron door. Glazed brick and iron in front of a plastered house make for a frontage you will not see on many streets.
Seeing the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall
The Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall faces the street, so it can be seen from the public road. Up close you can follow the alternating courses of the English bond and the sheen of the glaze.
Behind the wall is a private home with no announced public opening. The iron-doored opening is an entrance, so please do not block it, and do not lean on or touch the wall. Directions and the layout of the estate are on the Ueno Family Residence (Kitakata) page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall
- [ Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle & Ouchi-juku Village Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall built?
- In the late Meiji era, between 1898 and 1911. It was registered on September 10, 2010.
- How big is the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall?
- It is 24 meters long. On the street side it is 2.6 meters high and 36 centimeters thick; along the northern boundary it is 35 centimeters lower.
- How is the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall built?
- Of glazed brick laid in English bond, capped with pantiles.
- Can I see the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall from the street?
- Yes. The street side is visible from the public road, including the opening with an iron door near its southern end.
- Can I go inside the Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall?
- No. Behind it is a private home with no announced public opening, so please view it only from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 2740-1 Aza Tokiwacho, Matsuyama-machi Muramatsu, Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Brick, 24 m long |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | No public opening announced (private residence) |
References
- Ueno Family Residence Brick Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs database)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008254
- Ueno Family Residence Main House (Agency for Cultural Affairs database)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008248
- Overview of Kitakata's historic and cultural resources (Kitakata City, PDF)
- https://www.city.kitakata.fukushima.jp/uploaded/attachment/43016.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
