A Back Gate Set Into the Row of Stores
The Akagi Family Residence West Gate (赤木家住宅西門, Akagi-ke Jūtaku Nishimon) is a late-Meiji bracket-armed gate toward the south end of the west side of the Akagi estate at 972 Hikino in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 March 2006. It served as the back gate of the house.
It stands between the west warehouse to the north and the storage shed to the south, its ridge set a little lower than either neighbour, so that it tucks into the line of buildings.
The roof is gabled and laid with pantiles. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the gate as 2 bays across and records the opening as 1.7 metres; double doors fill the central bay, with plain board walls on either side.
Front Gate, Back Gate
Both of the estate's gates are bracket-armed, and there the resemblance ends.
The front gate on the east stands on 5 stone steps, hangs studded doors on posts 8 sun square, and has a recorded opening of 2.3 metres. The Akagi Family Residence West Gate has no steps or studs on record, only doors flanked by boards.
One gate was for receiving callers, the other for the household's own comings and goings, and the two are built accordingly.
The Gate on the River Side
Tajima no Hyakka Jiten, a regional encyclopedia, notes that a bamboo grove was planted along the west side of the estate, facing the Maruyama River, to slow floodwater, and that its canes were cut for flood-fighting materials. The Akagi Family Residence West Gate is the way out to that side.
The Agency credits the gate, together with the storehouses along the west edge, with forming the view of the back of the house. It was registered for contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
Seeing the West Gate
The gate is on the opposite side of the estate from the front gate. Look for the dip in the roofline where it interrupts the row of stores.
The residence is a family home and is generally closed to the public, and there is no information about entry through the west gate. Photography rules are not published; ask when you visit.
Directions and the terms for visiting the property are on the Akagi Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Akagi Family Residence West Gate registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) on 2 March 2006, on the same day as the other 15 registered structures of the residence.
- What kind of gate is the Akagi Family Residence West Gate?
- It is the back gate of the house, a bracket-armed gate with a gabled, pantiled roof, double doors in the central bay and board walls on each side. Its opening is recorded as 1.7 metres.
- Where is the Akagi Family Residence West Gate?
- Toward the south end of the west side of the estate, between the west warehouse and the storage shed, with its ridge a little lower than both.
- How does the Akagi Family Residence West Gate differ from the front gate?
- The front gate stands on stone steps with studded doors on posts 8 sun square and a 2.3-metre opening. The west gate has no steps or studs on record and is flanked by plain boards.
- Can visitors see the Akagi Family Residence West Gate?
- The residence is generally closed and there is no information about entry through the west gate. Check the Akagi Family Residence page for visiting terms.
Basic Information
| Name | Akagi Family Residence West Gate (赤木家住宅西門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 972 Hikino, Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/03/02 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber bracket-armed gate, gabled, pantiled, 1.7 metres wide |
| Owner | Not listed in the ACA database |
| Public Access | Residence generally closed |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Akagi Family Residence West Gate (赤木家住宅西門)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005323
- Cultural Heritage Online: Akagi Family Residence West Gate (赤木家住宅西門)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/142591
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Akagi Family Residence Front Gate (赤木家住宅表門)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005322
- Tajima no Hyakka Jiten (Tanshin Regional Promotion Fund): Akagi Family Residence (赤木家住宅)
- https://tanshin-kikin.jp/tajima/564
Last verified: 2026.09.26
