The Konishi Family Residence Gate
At the middle of the northern boundary of the Konishi family plot in Nanamatsu, Amagasaki, a tiled gate marks the entrance to the compound. This is the mon of the Konishi Family Residence in Hyogo Prefecture, a small but carefully built structure of the late Meiji period. It was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2011 as one of the six elements that make up the enclosure.
The gate is the first thing a visitor to the old Konishi household would have met, and it still sets the tone for the whole frontage. As with the other buildings here, this is the Amagasaki residence, distinct from the Osaka merchant house of the same name.
Why It Was Registered
Registered on 25 July 2011 for its contribution to the historic streetscape, the gate is valued as part of a continuous north front. It sits between the two arms of the brick wall and, with them, forms the face the compound turns to the road. The official record praises the use of good timber and a solid, unshowy design.
What to Look For
The gate measures about 3.8 metres across the front by 3.0 metres deep, under a gabled roof of sangawara pantiles. At its center a two-metre-plus opening carries a pair of hinged doors. Short wing walls, or sodekabe, flank the opening and return along the gable ends, and a small wicket door, a kuguri-do, is set into the ground before the eastern gable wall for everyday use when the main doors stay shut.
The interest lies overhead. The builders ran otoshi-bari, load-bearing beams, out across five lines of framing, then fitted a boarded soffit beneath the eaves and arranged the rafters as sodaruki, spaced out and left visible. It is a compact display of joinery, more considered than a farm gate needs to be, and it repays a look up from directly beneath.
The gate faces a public road, so its exterior can be seen freely, but the compound behind it is a private home and closed to visitors.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Konishi Family Residence Gate
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- What kind of gate is it?
- It is a timber residential gate with a tiled gable roof, a central pair of doors, flanking wing walls, and a small side wicket door.
- What is the small door beside the main opening?
- It is a kuguri-do, a low wicket door set before the eastern gable wall, used for daily passage while the main doors remain closed.
- Why is such a small structure a cultural property?
- It uses good timber and careful joinery, including a boarded soffit and exposed rafters, and it holds together the historic north frontage of the compound.
- Can I see it?
- The gate faces a public road and can be viewed from outside, but the residence beyond is private and not open to visitors.
Basic Information
| Name | Konishi Family Residence Gate (Konishi-ke Jutaku Mon) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-249 and vicinity, Nanamatsu-cho, Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), registered 25 July 2011 |
| Registration No. | 28-0524 |
| Built | Late Meiji period |
| Structure | Timber, gable roof with sangawara pantiles, frontage about 3.8 m |
| Count | 1 building |
| Access | Exterior visible from the public road; residence not open to the public |
References
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs — Konishi Family Residence Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008749
- Amagasaki City — Konishi Family Residence
- https://www.city.amagasaki.hyogo.jp/manabu/bunkazai_0/1028308/1028313/1028796.html
- National Database of Designated Cultural Properties — Konishi Family Residence (compound listing)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008746
Last verified: 2026.07.02