About the Ogino Family Residence Firewall
The Ogino Family Residence Firewall (荻野家住宅防火壁, Ogino-ke Jūtaku Bōkaheki) is a brick firewall of about 1924 built along the north edge of the Ogino property in Shimonita, Gunma Prefecture, right against the main house, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 7, 2009. It was put up to stop fire spreading, and it is registered as one structure 18 meters long.
The original brick wall of the Ogino Family Residence Firewall is 13 meters long, 7.3 meters high and 0.43 meters thick. Around 1950 a section 5 meters long in reinforced concrete was added on the east, bringing the wall to its present length.
The Shape of the Firewall
At 7.3 meters, the wall stands roughly shoulder to shoulder with the two-story timber main house beside it. Its height makes clear that it was meant to shield the house from a fire approaching from the neighbouring plot to the north.
Near the front of the main house, a stretch 1.5 meters long is raised about 1.4 meters above the rest of the wall and capped with a small ridge. From the street it looks like the Udatsu fire wings of a traditional townhouse. A practical barrier, it also gives the front of the house a touch of presence.
Why It Was Registered
The Ogino Family Residence Firewall carries registration number 10-0276 and was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a structure that records this area's history of great fires. Its value lies in keeping, in brick, a visible trace of how a town of timber buildings prepared for fire.
Visiting the Ogino Family Residence Firewall
The Ogino Family Residence Firewall is privately owned and the property cannot be entered.
The wall stands on the north edge of the plot beside the main house, and the raised udatsu-like section near the front can probably be seen from the street. Please photograph only from the public road and keep clear of the residents and of traffic.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gunma
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ogino Family Residence Firewall
- [ Kusatsu Onsen & Tomioka Silk Mill Heritage Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Ogino Family Residence Firewall built?
- It was built in about 1924, and a reinforced concrete section was added on the east around 1950.
- How big is the Ogino Family Residence Firewall?
- The brick section is 13 meters long, 7.3 meters high and 0.43 meters thick; with the concrete extension of 5 meters the total length is 18 meters.
- What makes the Ogino Family Residence Firewall look like an udatsu?
- A section 1.5 meters long near the front of the main house is raised about 1.4 meters and capped with a ridge, like the fire wings of a townhouse.
- Why is the Ogino Family Residence Firewall a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on August 7, 2009, for its contribution to the historic landscape and is described as recording the area's history of great fires.
- Can I visit the Ogino Family Residence Firewall?
- You cannot enter the property, but the raised section near the front of the main house can probably be seen from the street.
Basic Information
| Name | Ogino Family Residence Firewall |
|---|---|
| Location | 334 Nishi-ko, Nakamachi, Oaza Shimonita, Shimonita Town, Kanra District, Gunma Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/8/7 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Total length 18 meters (brick section: 13 meters long, 7.3 meters high, 0.43 meters thick) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency's database (private residence) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior from the street) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ogino Family Residence Firewall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007728
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Ogino Family Residence Main House (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007722
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shimonita Town, Gunma (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/region/10/10382
Last verified: 2026.10.07
