A light gate for a merchant's frontage
The Goto Family Residence Gate (後藤家住宅門) in Akutami, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, is the front gate of the Goto family compound, built in 1937 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on February 4, 2021 (number 21-0290).
The Goto Family Residence Gate stands in the middle of the east frontage, between the main house and the former post office, opening onto the Gujo Kaido. It was built in the same year as the post office, and the 2 buildings together give the property its street face. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a light, graceful gate well suited to the front of a residence.
Tie beam, main beams and secondary beams
The Goto Family Residence Gate is a single-bay Yakuimon under a gabled, pantiled roof (Sangawara-buki), 1.9 m wide. Short flanking walls (Sodobei) run off to the north and south, so that gate and walls read as one frontage.
Square posts carry a tie beam (kabuki) across the top. Beneath each of the main beams that hold up the roof, a slimmer secondary beam has been added, and the ridge beam (Munagi) sits on short struts that taper toward the bottom, known as bachizuka. The members are kept slender, and it is the layered beams that give the gate its presence.
Grooves of the missing doors
Under the tie beam of the Goto Family Residence Gate, a lintel with 2 grooves survives. It once held a pair of sliding doors that opened to either side. The doors are gone, but the grooves record how the gate was used.
The Goto Family Residence Gate was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. It is the first thing anyone walking along the old road notices, the face of the household.
Visiting
The Goto Family Residence Gate faces the road, and its exterior can be viewed from the street. Beyond it is a private home, so please do not pass through the gate or linger in front of it. The grooved lintel may be hard to make out from the road.
The story of the compound, what can be seen from the road and directions are on the Goto Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Goto Family Residence Gate?
- In the middle of the east frontage of the Goto family compound in Akutami, Gifu City, between the main house and the former post office, facing the old Gujo Kaido.
- When was the Goto Family Residence Gate built and registered?
- It was built in 1937 and registered on February 4, 2021, under number 21-0290.
- What type of gate is the Goto Family Residence Gate?
- A single-bay yakuimon, 1.9 m wide, with a gabled, pantiled roof and flanking walls to the north and south.
- What details should I look for on the Goto Family Residence Gate?
- The slim secondary beams set under the main beams, the tapered struts under the ridge beam, and the twin-grooved lintel that once held 2 sliding doors.
- Can I visit the Goto Family Residence Gate?
- You can see the exterior from the road, but the grounds behind it are a private home and are not open.
Basic Information
| Name | Goto Family Residence Gate (後藤家住宅門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 48 Akutami 1-chome, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 21-0290 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/02/04 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Wooden, tiled roof; frontage 1.9 m |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the road only (grounds closed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Goto Family Residence Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013552
- Cultural Heritage Online — Goto Family Residence Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/594929
- Gifu City — List of National Registered Cultural Properties in Gifu City
- https://www.city.gifu.lg.jp/kankoubunka/bunkazai/1005549/1019171.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
