A 16-Metre Gatehouse Facing the World
The Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate (村上家住宅長屋門, Murakami-ke Jūtaku Nagayamon) is a single-storey timber gatehouse of the late Edo period (1830–1867) in Imazu-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 10 September 2010 under registration number 34-0101.
It stands southeast of the main house with its ridge running east to west. It measures 16 metres by 3.9 metres, with a footprint of 72 square metres, second only to the main house among the eight registered structures. The roof is hip-and-gable and laid with pantiles, and a lower lean-to (Geya) wraps from the west side round to the south.
A Nagayamon is a gate set into a long range of rooms and stores rather than standing on its own. Here the east end held storage, the western half was living quarters, and the gateway opens between the two.
Why It Was Registered
The gateway of the Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate is 3.7 metres wide. Its eastern half is solid wall, and the door slides back into that wall, so that when open it disappears and the full width of the passage is clear.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the gatehouse with giving the estate a dignified front. Fukuyama City notes that the walls are of the thick, post-concealing type, which gives a long, unbroken white face. Together with the stone wall on the hill, this gatehouse sets the image of the Murakami household as seen from outside.
All eight structures were registered on the same day as contributions to the historic landscape. The main house was rebuilt in the late Meiji period, but the gatehouse has guarded the entrance since the end of the Edo period.
What to Look For
Face the Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate and you will notice that the gateway is not centred: it is pushed toward the east, between the small store at the end and the larger living quarters to the west. The generous western rooms probably housed a gatekeeper or servants.
Look also at how the big hip-and-gable roof combines with the low lean-to running from west to south. The lean-to throws a band of shadow along the foot of the wall and keeps 16 metres of frontage from looking monotonous.
Visiting
The Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate is the gate of a private home. You cannot pass through it, and the rooms and store inside are not open. Because it forms the front of the estate, its exterior can be seen from the lane outside. Please do not linger in front of the gate or block the residents' way. The Murakami Family Residence page covers the layout of the estate and directions.
As of September 2026 there were no announced public openings or visit arrangements.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate
- [ Itsukushima Shrine & Hiroshima Peace Memorial ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate?
- It is the gate of a private home, so you cannot go through it or inside. Its exterior forms the front of the estate and can be seen from outside.
- When was the Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate built?
- The national register dates it to the late Edo period (1830–1867).
- How big is the Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate?
- It is a single-storey timber building of 16 metres by 3.9 metres, with a building area of 72 square metres. The gateway itself is 3.7 metres wide.
- What is inside the Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate?
- Storage at the east end and living quarters in the western half, with the gateway between them. The door slides into the wall on the eastern half of the opening.
- When did the Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 10 September 2010, as registration number 34-0101, together with the other seven structures of the estate.
Basic Information
| Name | Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate (村上家住宅長屋門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1929 Naganami, Imazu-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), registration no. 34-0101 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/9/10 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 72 square metres (16 metres by 3.9 metres) |
| Owner | Not listed (Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Private residence; interior not open, exterior visible from outside the grounds |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Murakami Family Residence Nagayamon Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008373
- Fukuyama Cultural Properties Navi (Fukuyama City): Murakami Family Residence Main House and seven others
- https://fukubun.net/ja/collection/692
Last verified: 2026.09.24
