The guardhouse at the west gate
The Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse (甲南女子中学校・高等学校西門守衛室) in Morikitacho, Higashinada Ward, Kobe, is a single-storey gatehouse beside the school's west gate, designed by Murano Tōgo and completed in 1968; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 29, 2022 (number 28-0779).
It stands on the northwest side of the grounds next to the west gate. With a building area of 11 m², it is the smallest of the eight registered buildings.
A recessed corner and a wrapped bay window
The Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse is a single-storey concrete block building under a pyramidal hōgyō-zukuri roof of synthetic slate.
At the east corner, where the door is, the wall is pulled inward to leave a recessed corner, and a single freestanding column stands in the gap. At the south corner the opposite happens: a bay window is fixed around the angle. One corner cut in, the other pushed out, and an 11 m² box acquires two quite different faces.
Comparing the two guardhouses
Like the guardhouse at the main gate, the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse sets a pyramidal roof on block walls, but its entrance is formed by the freestanding column in the recessed corner. The criteria differ too: the main gate guardhouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, this one as a model of design.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes how thoroughly the details have been considered for such a small building.
Visiting
Because the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse stands beside the west gate, you can locate it from outside the grounds. The campus is not open, however, so you cannot approach the building or look inside. Students and cars use the gate; if you take a photograph, stay out of the way and keep students out of the frame.
The school's history and directions to the campus are on the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
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Q&A
- Where is the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse?
- Beside the west gate on the northwest side of the school grounds in Morikitacho, Higashinada Ward, Kobe.
- What kind of building is the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse?
- A single-storey concrete block gatehouse with a pyramidal synthetic slate roof; its building area is 11 m².
- What details should I notice on the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse?
- The recessed east corner with a freestanding column at the entrance, and the bay window wrapped around the south corner.
- When was the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse registered as a cultural property?
- On June 29, 2022, as a model of design, with Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 28-0779. It was built in 1968 to a design by Murano Tōgo.
- Can visitors see the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse?
- The grounds are closed, but the building stands by the west gate and can be located from outside.
Basic Information
| Name | Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse (甲南女子中学校・高等学校西門守衛室) |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-4-1 Morikitacho, Higashinada Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 28-0779 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2022/06/29 (Reiwa 4) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Concrete block and timber, single storey, slate roof; building area 11 m² |
| Owner | Konan Joshi Gakuen (school corporation) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (school facility) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00014274
- Cultural Heritage Online — Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School West Gate Guardhouse
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/521554
Last verified: 2026.10.07
