About the Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts
The Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts (旧広島県西条清酒醸造支場門柱) are concrete gateposts built around 1929 in Saijo Kamiichicho, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 1, 2016.
They formed the main gate of the prefecture's sake research station, spanning an opening 4.6 meters wide, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs classifies them as a structure other than a building. This is where you first enter the compound; the north-facing main building stands just beyond.
The national database is not quite consistent about the material: its structure field says concrete, while its descriptive text says reinforced concrete.
Why the Gateposts Were Registered
The Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts were registered on August 1, 2016, number 34-0191, under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the nation.
A gate is not a building, but it is the face of an institution. These posts show how a public research station presented itself to the town, and because they were registered alongside the main building, rice mill, brewhouse and chimney, the compound survives intact from entrance to rear.
The care taken over the surface finish and the corner detailing suggests the posts were meant to look the part of a government gate, not merely to hang one.
What to Look For
Get close to the surface of the Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts. They are finished in Araidashi, a technique in which the top layer of mortar is washed off before it fully sets, exposing the small stones in the mix. From a distance the posts look plain gray; up close you see texture and flecks of color.
Then look at the corners of the sides. Each corner is cut back in three small steps, a detail called danguri, which throws thin vertical lines of shadow down the post and sharpens its outline.
Finally, look up. Metal brackets for lamps remain near the top, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs believes the posts originally carried lights. Picture the gate lit at dusk and you get a sense of a working station with people coming and going after dark.
Visiting the Gateposts
The Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts stand outdoors and can be seen whenever you visit the compound. Come on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, when the Shusenkan café in the main building is open, and you can walk through the gate to the main building along the station's original approach.
No photography policy is published. The washed-stone texture and the stepped corners show best when light strikes them at a low angle. The site is also a working brewery, so follow signs and staff directions about where you may walk.
The national database does not list an owner for the gateposts.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts
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Q&A
- Where are the Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts?
- They form the main gate of the former station, just in front of the north-facing main building, at 957 Saijo Kamiichicho, Higashihiroshima City.
- When were the Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates them to about 1929.
- How are the Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts finished?
- The surface is washed-stone araidashi work, and the side corners are decorated with three-step danguri cuts.
- When were the Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts registered as a cultural property?
- They were registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 1, 2016, under registration number 34-0191.
- What are the metal fittings at the top of the Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts?
- They are brackets for lamps. The Agency for Cultural Affairs believes the posts originally carried lights.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts |
|---|---|
| Location | 957 Saijo Kamiichicho, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered August 1, 2016 |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Opening 4.6 meters wide (concrete) |
| Owner | Unknown (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Outdoor structure; exterior visible on site |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Hiroshima Prefecture Saijo Sake Brewing Branch Gateposts
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011198
- Higashihiroshima City: Former Hiroshima Prefectural Brewing Experiment Station, Historic Site Saijo Sakagura-gun (Japanese)
- https://www.city.higashihiroshima.lg.jp/soshiki/kyoikuiinkaishogaigakushu/3/11/bunkazai/town/saijo/sakaguragun/39658.html
- Higashihiroshima Tourism (Higashiru): Kamoizumi Sake Brewery (Japanese)
- https://higashihiroshima-kanko.jp/spot/kamoizumi/
Last verified: 2026.09.24
