A Domed Guardhouse Facing Its Twin
The Abashiri Prison Museum Kagami Bridge Exit Guardhouse (博物館網走監獄鏡橋出口哨舎) is a domed guardhouse at the exit of the Kagami Bridge of 1912 in Yobito, Abashiri City, Hokkaido, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 13, 2012 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber structure with an iron-sheet roof and an area of 3.2 square metres, moved in 1992; registration number 01-0128.
Facing the Entrance Guardhouse
The Kagami Bridge exit guardhouse of 1912, moved in 1992, originally stood at the exit of the Kagami Bridge opposite the entrance guardhouse, watching visitors and inmates (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Hexagonal and about three square metres, it has glazed windows on every side for watching in all directions, and a domed iron-sheet roof topped by a spear finial gives it a distinctive look (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it as a model of design.
What to Look For
Look for the domed roof and its spear finial (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by the Abashiri Prison Preservation Foundation (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to the museum website, it is open from 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:00); admission is 1,500 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for high-school students and 750 yen for primary and junior high school pupils. Each building is introduced together on the Abashiri Prison Museum page.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1912; moved in 1992.
- Where was it first?
- At the exit of the Kagami Bridge.
- What is the roof like?
- Domed, with a spear finial.
- How are the windows arranged?
- On every side.
- When was the Abashiri Prison Museum Kagami Bridge Exit Guardhouse registered?
- On August 13, 2012 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Abashiri Prison Museum Kagami Bridge Exit Guardhouse (博物館網走監獄鏡橋出口哨舎) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-2 Yobito, Abashiri City, Hokkaido |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2012/08/13 (Heisei 24) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, iron sheet, 3.2 m² |
| Owner | Abashiri Prison Preservation Foundation |
| Public Access | Open as the Abashiri Prison Museum (Abashiri Prison Museum) |
References
- Abashiri Prison Museum Kagami Bridge Exit Guardhouse (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009253
- Abashiri Prison Museum (official website, in Japanese)
- https://www.kangoku.jp/
Last verified: 2026.10.26
