About the Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework
The Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework (永田家住宅池石積, Nagata-ke Jūtaku Ike Ishizumi) is the stone lining of a pond south of the detached zashiki at the Nagata Family Residence in Shitori Nagata, Minamiawaji City, Hyogo Prefecture; it dates from the middle Meiji period (1883 to 1897) and became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on January 26, 2011. The national database records it as a stone structure 32 meters in total length.
The pond is rectangular, with its west and south sides pushed outward to form an L shape. It measures 5.9 meters east to west and 9.8 meters north to south, and it is 2.7 meters deep.
Why It Was Registered
The Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. That a garden structure was registered in its own right, rather than as part of a building, shows how carefully the garden of this house was made.
When Hyogo Prefecture added the Nagata Family Residence to its Important Landscape Buildings in 2026, it named the stone-lined pond alongside the main house and outbuildings. The Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework lies right where the front veranda of the detached zashiki projects, so the pond was designed to be looked at from that room.
Cut Sandstone, a Gourd and a Cup
The Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework is built of cut sandstone blocks. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that they are laid with great skill while allowing a slight give between the stones. A depth of 2.7 meters is unusual for a garden pond, and the dressed stone faces rise accordingly high.
The playful touch is in a few shaped stones. Some blocks are carved in the form of a gourd and a sake cup, drinking vessels hidden in the masonry, a fitting joke for a house that entertained guests in the zashiki above the water.
Visiting the Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework
The Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework lies in the garden inside the gates, south of the detached zashiki. It is part of a private home, is not open to the public and cannot really be seen from outside.
To look for the gourd and cup stones, the photographs on the Minamiawaji City cultural property pages and in the national database are the practical option.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- What is the Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework?
- It is the cut-sandstone lining of the pond south of the detached zashiki at the Nagata Family Residence, 32 meters in total length.
- How large is the pond of the Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework?
- It is 5.9 meters east to west, 9.8 meters north to south and 2.7 meters deep, with an L-shaped outline.
- What are the gourd and cup stones in the Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework?
- A few blocks in the masonry are shaped like a gourd and a sake cup.
- When was the Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework built?
- The national database dates it to the middle Meiji period, 1883 to 1897. It was registered on January 26, 2011.
- Can I see the Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework?
- No. It is in the inner garden of a private home and is not open to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Nagata Family Residence Pond Stonework |
|---|---|
| Location | 1493 Aza-Yoshinobo, Shitori Nagata, Minamiawaji City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered January 26, 2011 |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | 32 m total length (pond 5.9 m east to west, 9.8 m north to south, 2.7 m deep) |
| Owner | Private individual (blank in the national database; per Minamiawaji City) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 永田家住宅池石積 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008538
- Minamiawaji City: 永田家住宅池石積（いけいしづみ）
- https://www.city.minamiawaji.hyogo.jp/bunkaisan/bunkazai/r-84.html
Last verified: 2026.10.04
