Hino Family Residence Ceremonial Gate
Facing south before the guest room at the west end of the main house, the ceremonial gate of the Hino residence is the smallest and most refined of the estate's entrances. It is a single-bay udegimon just 1.7 metres wide, roofed in copper sheet, and dates from the later Edo period, between 1751 and 1830.
The gate stands in the Hino compound in Fukase, Kōda-chō, Aki-Takata, Hiroshima. Unlike the plain tiled roofs elsewhere on the site, its copper covering marks it out as a gate meant for a special purpose.
A latticed transom of crossed bars is set into the upper part, and the board doors are hung on decorative hasso fittings, small metal mounts that give the little gate a careful, finished look.
Why It Matters
The gate was registered on 17 November 2015 for its contribution to the historic landscape. It served a precise role: it divided the main garden in front of the former guest room, the onari-zashiki, from the forecourt beyond, marking the passage into a space reserved for honoured visitors.
Its value lies in that ceremonial function and in the quality of its making. The copper roof, the crossed-bar transom and the decorative door fittings are the marks of a gate built for reception rather than daily traffic.
Where the main gate announced the estate to the world, this smaller gate governed movement within it, setting apart the most formal of the family's spaces.
What to Look For
The gate rewards a close, unhurried look. Its narrow single bay, the green of the aged copper roof and the pattern of the transom are details easily missed from a distance but telling up close.
Read against the larger main gate, the ceremonial gate shows how the estate ranked its entrances by purpose, reserving copper and fine fittings for the approach to its guest room. It is a small building that carries a clear sense of hierarchy.
Because the residence is private, the gate cannot be approached inside the grounds and is seen as part of the group from the public road. Visitors wanting a site to enter nearby can walk the ruins of Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle or visit the Aki-Takata City Museum of History and Folklore.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hino Family Residence Onarimon
- [ Itsukushima Shrine & Hiroshima Peace Memorial ]
Q&A
- What was the ceremonial gate for?
- It divided the main garden before the former guest room from the forecourt, marking the way into a space kept for honoured visitors.
- Why is its roof different?
- It is roofed in copper sheet rather than tile, a mark of its special ceremonial role.
- How old and how big is it?
- It dates from the late Edo period (1751 to 1830) and is a single-bay gate just 1.7 metres wide.
- Can I visit it up close?
- No. The residence is private, but the gate can be seen from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Hino Family Residence Ceremonial Gate / 日野家住宅御成門 |
|---|---|
| Location | 172 Kō and 172 Otsu (merged), Fukase, Kōda-chō, Aki-Takata, Hiroshima |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registered | 17 November 2015 (registration no. 34-0155) |
| Structure | Timber single-bay udegimon, copper-sheet roof, frontage 1.7 m |
| Built | late Edo period (1751 to 1830) |
| Access | Privately owned; not generally open to the public |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁） — 日野家住宅御成門
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010898
- 安芸高田市 — 日野家住宅
- https://www.akitakata.jp/ja/shisei/section/kyouiku/shisekibunkazai/cultural_asset/r899/
- 文化遺産オンライン — 日野家住宅主屋
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/276956
Last verified: 2026.07.03