About the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall
The Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall (河合家別邸門及び塀, Kawai-ke Bettei Mon oyobi Hei) is a gate and board fence built around 1941 in Ichinomachi, Furukawa-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture, and it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 13, 2012. It runs along the south side of the Kawai Family Villa lot, facing the street, and of the three registered parts of the villa it is the one the town actually sees.
The gate of the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall is 2.9 meters wide, and the board fence extending on either side of it totals 41 meters. Like the main house, it is dated to around 1941.
Why the Gate and Wall Were Registered
The Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits it with a calm presence that adds to the streetscape.
The main house and the storehouse both sit behind the front garden and are barely visible from outside. For anyone walking through Hida-Furukawa, the gate and fence are the Kawai villa. Their role as the public face of the property, part of the town's street frontage, is the core of the registration.
What to Notice
A gate set back from the street
The gate stands a little east of the center of the south side and is set slightly back from the street. It is a one-bay Udekimon, a gate whose gabled roof is carried on arms projecting from the posts. Its earthen wall is pierced by a Ranma transom in a lattice pattern. Setting the gate back rather than on the street line leaves a small space in front of it, giving the villa a quiet, unassuming entrance.
A fence that turns corners
The fence runs out from both sides of the gate and bends as it follows the lot. Its tall lower part is clad in vertical boards, and above that is a band of earthen wall with windows cut into it. Boards, plaster and openings repeat along the full 41 meters.
A note on the roofing
The sources disagree on the roofing. The structure field of the Agency's database entry gives copper sheet for both gate and fence, while the description on the same page gives iron sheet for the gate. This article records both rather than choosing one.
Seeing the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall
The Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall belongs to a private house, and the grounds inside the gate cannot be entered. Because the gate and fence face the street, however, their exterior can be seen from the public road. Of the villa's three registered parts, they are the only ones you can see properly from outside.
The gate, its lattice transom and the long run of board-and-plaster fence are easiest to take in from across the street. Take photographs from the public road and do not stand in the gateway. Directions are on the Kawai Family Villa page.
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Q&A
- When were the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates them to around 1941, the same period as the main house.
- Why is the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- They were judged to add a calm presence to the streetscape and to contribute to the historic landscape. They were registered on August 13, 2012.
- How large are the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall?
- The gate is a one-bay udekimon 2.9 meters wide, and the board fence on either side totals 41 meters.
- Can I see the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall from the street?
- Yes. They stand on the south side of the lot facing the street and can be seen from the public road. The grounds inside the gate are private.
- What does the fence of the Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall look like?
- It has a tall lower part of vertical boards with a band of earthen wall above, pierced by windows, and it bends as it runs out from the gate.
Basic Information
| Name | Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-16 Ichinomachi, Furukawa-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered August 13, 2012 |
| Quantity | 1 item (gate and board fence) |
| Dimensions | Gate 2.9 meters wide; board fence 41 meters in total length |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Grounds not open (exterior visible from the public road) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Kawai Family Villa Gate and Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009282
- Hida City Board of Education: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (PDF, Japanese)
- https://hida-bunka.jp/wphidabunka/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/list04-20200313.pdf
- Gifu Prefecture: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures) (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/page/12417.html
Last verified: 2026.10.03
