What Is the Kato Family Residence West Wall?
The Kato Family Residence West Wall (加藤家住宅西塀, Katō-ke Jūtaku Nishibei) is a roofed boundary wall with a built-in privy, running north from the western part of the gatehouse of a merchant family's compound in Aboshi-ku Yokohama, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture; it was built in the late Edo period (1830 to 1867) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2009.
A privy stands just north of the storeroom at the west end of the gatehouse, and the wall continues north from it. Together they run 11 meters. The structure was repaired in 1980.
Why the Kato Family Residence West Wall Was Registered
The Kato Family Residence West Wall was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
A wall is easy to dismiss as a mere boundary marker, but the Kato Family Residence West Wall absorbs a small building into its length and carries a single roof over both. It picks up the white plaster and dark boarding of the gatehouse and continues them north to close off the west side of the compound, which is why it counts as part of the property's outer face.
What to Look for at the Kato Family Residence West Wall
The privy is a tiny structure of 1.9 meters by 2.0 meters under a Kirizuma-zukuri gable of Sangawara-buki tile. The roof of the Kato Family Residence West Wall is laid at the same ridge height, so the tiles run unbroken from privy to wall.
The wall is built on two rows of posts. Along the western row it is solid, white Shikkui plaster with vertical boards at the base. The eastern row is left open, with only short stretches of Yamato-bari boarding, in which boards overlap alternately front and back. Closed to the outside and open to the inside, it is less a fence than a narrow roofed passage.
Visiting the Kato Family Residence West Wall
The Kato Family Residence West Wall is part of a private home and the property cannot be entered. Its west face looks outward, but how much of it can be seen from the street has not been confirmed.
The plastered outer face and the open inner side can both be seen in the photographs on the Agency for Cultural Affairs database. Directions and visiting notes are on the page for the Kato Family Residence as a whole.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kato Family Residence West Wall
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Kato Family Residence West Wall built?
- In the late Edo period, between 1830 and 1867. It was repaired in 1980.
- How long is the Kato Family Residence West Wall?
- 11 meters in total, including the privy. The privy itself measures 1.9 meters by 2.0 meters.
- Why does the Kato Family Residence West Wall include a privy?
- The privy north of the gatehouse storeroom was built as one piece with the wall under a continuous roof, and the two were registered together.
- How is the Kato Family Residence West Wall constructed?
- On two rows of posts: the outer, western face is white plaster over vertical boards, while the inner, eastern side is open, with short stretches of overlapping yamato-bari boarding.
- Can visitors see the Kato Family Residence West Wall?
- The property cannot be entered, as it is a private home. How much is visible from outside has not been confirmed.
Basic Information
| Name | Kato Family Residence West Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 53-1 Aboshi-ku Yokohama, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Total length 11 m (privy 1.9 m by 2.0 m) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kato Family Residence West Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007521
- Himeji City: Kato Family Residence West Wall (in Japanese)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001723.html
- Himeji City: List of Registered Cultural Properties (in Japanese)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001691.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
