About the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn
The Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn (森松家住宅南納屋, Morimatsu-ke Jūtaku Minami-naya) is a late-Edo (1751 to 1829) barn with a gated passage through it, on the south side of a former headman's estate in Mukonoso Higashi, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
The Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn stands toward the west end of the south side, facing the front of the main house from the south. It is a one-storey timber building 17 by 4.9 metres, 84 m² in area, with a gabled roof of pantiles.
Both Barn and Gateway
A passage 3.2 metres wide runs through the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn a little east of centre, closed by doors. A barn you can walk through into the estate is, in form, a Nagayamon gatehouse.
At 3.2 metres, the passage is wider than the 2.5 metres of the Nagayamon Gate on the west side. That may reflect carts and harvests coming through, but no source records how it was used.
The Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, south of the main house front, it gives the estate a weighty presence.
Board Walls and the Outer Wall Either Side
The walls of the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn are clad in vertical boarding. With more timber and less white plaster than the Nagayamon Gate or East Barn, it has the plainer face of a working barn.
The outer wall continues east and west of the barn, closing the south side of the compound, and a privy is attached to the wall at the south-west corner. Its late-Edo date places the barn among the oldest parts of the estate, with the Nagayamon Gate and the clothing storehouse.
Seeing the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn
The Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn belongs to a private home and you cannot pass through it. It stands on the south side of the plot and should be visible from the road there, though this has not been checked on site.
Please do not linger at the passage doors, and photograph only from the public road. For getting there, see the Morimatsu Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period (1751 to 1829), among the oldest parts of the estate.
- Why is the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn called a gatehouse?
- A gated passage 3.2 metres wide runs through it just east of centre, so the barn doubles as an entrance, the nagayamon form.
- How big is the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn?
- It is a one-storey timber building 17 by 4.9 metres, with a building area of 84 m².
- Why is the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2009 for contributing to the historic landscape, giving weight to the estate south of the main house.
- Can I go into the Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn?
- No. The Morimatsu Family Residence is a private home and is not open to the public; only the exterior can be seen from the street.
Basic Information
| Name | Morimatsu Family Residence South Barn (森松家住宅南納屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-105 Mukonoso Higashi, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, etc. |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2009 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 84 m² (17 m by 4.9 m) |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private home; exterior from the street) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 森松家住宅南納屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007781
- Amagasaki City: Morimatsu Family Residence (registered cultural properties of Amagasaki)
- https://www.city.amagasaki.hyogo.jp/manabu/bunkazai_0/1028308/1028313/1028789.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30
