About the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate
The Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate (上月家住宅表門, Kōzuki-ke Jūtaku Omote-mon) is the main entrance gate of a private house in Bozumachi, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, built around 1930 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
It stands at the middle of the property's south side, set back a little from the street. It is a single-bay Yakuimon with a gable roof (Kirizuma-zukuri) in copper sheet (Dōban-buki), 2.3 metres wide, with a small wicket door on each side.
Of the seven registered Kozuki buildings, this is the only one you can see from outside the grounds.
Why the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate Was Registered
The Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate was registered for its contribution to the historic townscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a quiet gate in the sukiya manner, the relaxed, natural-material style that grew out of tea architecture.
There is no heavy row-house gate or samurai-style portal here. The Kozuki household chose a light gate built around natural timber and placed it slightly back from the road, announcing the house without making a show of it.
What to Look For
The main posts of the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate are knotty hinoki cypress logs, left round rather than squared, and carried right up to the roof purlin.
The gap between the purlin and the lintel is filled with earthen plaster, and a decorative transom is set into the street side. Raw wood and clay shown as they are: that is what the sukiya label means here.
Underneath, the roof is left open as an exposed rafter ceiling (Keshō-yaneura) with widely spaced rafters, and the floor is granite laid on the diagonal (Shihanjiki).
Visiting
The Kozuki Family Residence is a private home and the grounds are closed; no public opening had been announced as of October 2026. The Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate, however, stands on the south edge of the property, set back from the road, so you can view it from the street.
Facing the gate, the cypress posts, the copper roof and the transom are easy to pick out. The rafter ceiling and diagonal paving sit within the depth of the gate and are harder to see from outside.
The lane is an ordinary residential street. Look and photograph from the public road only, do not step inside the gate, and keep clear of residents and passing traffic.
Q&A
- When was the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate built?
- Around 1930. It was registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
- Can I see the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate from the street?
- Yes. It stands at the middle of the south side, set back a little from the road, and can be viewed from the street. The grounds behind it are closed.
- What type of gate is the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate?
- A single-bay yakuimon with a gable roof in copper sheet, 2.3 metres wide, with wicket doors on both sides.
- What are the posts of the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate made of?
- Knotty hinoki cypress logs, left round and extended up to the roof purlin.
- Can I photograph the Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate?
- Photographing the exterior from the public road is possible, but it is the gate of a private home, so please be brief and do not block residents or traffic.
Basic Information
| Name | Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate (上月家住宅表門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 37-7 Bozumachi, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Frontage 2.3 metres (timber, copper roof, wicket doors on both sides) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- 上月家住宅表門 / Kozuki Family Residence Front Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008745
- 上月家住宅表門 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/224696
- 上月家住宅表門 (City of Himeji, Registered Tangible Cultural Properties)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001720.html
- List of Registered Cultural Properties in Himeji (City of Himeji)
- https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/kanko/0000001691.html
Last verified: 2026.10.07
