Embankments through the estate
The Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls (平尾家住宅石垣) in Morio, Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, is the stone embankments along both banks of the Morio River, built in the late Edo period and repaired in the mid-Meiji and early Showa eras, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 7, 2008 (number 28-0323).
The Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls are the embankments lining both banks of the Morio River where it runs through the grounds and divides them north from south. About 1.5 metres high and 148 metres long in total, they make possible the estate's unusual plan, with a river running through its middle.
Garden walls and the Onarimon gate wall stand on top of them, and the stone bridges and the river washing place are built into them.
Repairs written in the masonry
Sections of the Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls are laid in cut granite or basalt, some set diagonally and some in level courses, while other stretches are built of rough fieldstone.
The changes in technique reflect repeated repairs: built in the late Edo period, the walls were reworked in the mid-Meiji and again in the early Showa era.
The view across the water
The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the walls with creating a unique view inside the estate: the main house seen across the river. Passing the gatehouse and looking over the water to the house is the image that sets this compound apart.
Visiting
The Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls are inside the estate and not open; they are barely visible from the road.
The story of the estate, what can be seen from the road and directions are on the Hirao Family Residence page.
Q&A
- Where is the Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls?
- Along both banks of the Morio River where it divides the Hirao estate.
- When was the Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls registered as a cultural property?
- On March 7, 2008, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 28-0323. It dates from the late Edo period, repaired in the mid-Meiji and early Showa eras.
- How are the Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls built?
- Partly in cut granite and basalt, laid diagonally or in courses, and partly in rough fieldstone, reflecting repeated repairs.
- How big is the Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls?
- About 1.5 metres high and 148 metres long in total.
- Can visitors see the Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls?
- No; they are inside the private grounds and barely visible from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls (平尾家住宅石垣) |
|---|---|
| Location | 958 Ando, Morio, Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 28-0323 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/03/07 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone; 148 metres long |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00006899
- Cultural Heritage Online — Hirao Family Residence Stone Walls
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/144161
- Tajima Encyclopedia (Tanshin Regional Promotion Fund) — Hirao Family Residence
- https://tanshin-kikin.jp/tajima/568
Last verified: 2026.10.02
