Building a level site on falling ground
The Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls (日下家住宅石垣, Kusaka-ke Jūtaku Ishigaki) in Awaga, Santo-cho, Asago City, Hyogo Prefecture, is the stone retaining walls on which the whole compound stands, built in the late Edo period; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on January 26, 2011 (number 28-0512). It was repaired in the early and middle Showa era.
The Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls were raised on ground that slopes down to a river on the north, creating the level platform on which the compound stands. Every one of the 21 registered structures, the main house included, sits on top of them.
109 metres long and up to 5 metres high
The Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls run 109 metres in total and reach 5 metres at their highest. The stone and the way it is laid change from place to place, from random rubble of fieldstone to fitted wedge-shaped stones set on the diagonal.
Masonry that records the family history
The changes in the Kusaka stonework are the marks of repeated work from the late Edo period into the Showa era, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs reads them as a record of the long history of the family. Walking along the outside, you can see where masonry of different periods has been stitched together.
Visiting
The Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls hold up the edge of the compound and can be seen from the road. The grounds are not open; the house above is a family home, so look in passing and do not peer over.
The background of the property, what can be seen from outside and directions are on the Kusaka Family Residence (Asago) page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls?
- Around the edge of the Kusaka compound in Awaga, Santo-cho, Asago City, on ground falling toward a river to the north.
- When was the Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls registered as a cultural property?
- On January 26, 2011, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 28-0512.
- How large are the Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls?
- They run 109 metres in total and reach 5 metres at the highest point.
- What is interesting about the Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls?
- Different stones and laying methods in different places, from random rubble to diagonally set fitted stones, showing generations of repair.
- Can visitors see the Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls?
- They form the outer edge of the compound and can be seen from the road; the grounds are not open.
Basic Information
| Name | Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls (日下家住宅石垣) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2097 Nishitani, Awaga, Santo-cho, Asago City, Hyogo Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 28-0512 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/01/26 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone; 109 metres long |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence); outer face visible from the road |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kusaka Family Residence Stone Walls
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008565
- Tajima Encyclopedia (Tanshin Regional Promotion Fund) — Kusaka Family Residence
- https://tanshin-kikin.jp/tajima/576
Last verified: 2026.10.02
