The Matching Wall on the North Side
The Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall (西尾家住宅水車・牛・鶏小屋門及び塀) is the early Meiji-era gate and wall along the south edge of the waterwheel shed's lot, on the north side of the old San'in Road opposite the Nishio Family Residence in Oyamakami, Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 July 2004.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs description, the wall turns a corner and is about 50 shaku long, though its western part has been lost. The structure field of the same database records a timber gate with a tiled roof, 2.4 metres wide, and a wall 13 metres long.
The Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall is built to the same design as the forecourt gate and wall across the road.
Why It Was Registered
The gate and wall were registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape; the Agency notes their part in shaping the streetscape of the old San'in Road.
By building a matching wall on the far side of the road, in front of the farm shed as well as the main compound, the Nishio family enclosed a stretch of the highway between their own walls. This wall does much to make the compound read as one across the road.
What to Look At
Stone base and boarded lower wall
The wall stands on a stone base, with vertical boarding on its lower half, exposed posts in the Shinkabe style and a Sangawara-buki tile coping. Boards below and white plaster above, just like the forecourt wall opposite.
A raised gate
Toward the east end the ridge steps up and the gate opens, 2.4 metres wide, its roof lifted above the line of the wall.
The missing west end
The western part of the wall no longer survives. Whether that loss explains the difference between the description's 50 shaku and the database's 13 metres cannot be confirmed from the sources.
Visiting
The Nishio waterwheel shed gate and wall face the old San'in Road and can be seen from there. The lot behind the gate is private, and as of October 2026 there was no notice of public access.
Look across the road at the forecourt gate and wall to see the same design on both sides of the street.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall built?
- It dates from the early Meiji era and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 23 July 2004.
- Where is the Nishio waterwheel shed gate and wall?
- On the north side of the old San'in Road, along the south edge of the waterwheel shed's lot, facing the road.
- How large is the Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall?
- The database's structure field gives a gate 2.4 metres wide and a wall 13 metres long, while the description gives a corner-turning wall about 50 shaku long. The western part has been lost.
- What are the features of the Nishio waterwheel shed gate and wall?
- A stone base, boarded lower wall, exposed posts and tiled coping, with a raised gate toward the east end, matching the forecourt wall opposite.
- Can I see the Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall?
- Yes, from the old San'in Road. The lot behind the gate is private, with no notice of public access as of October 2026.
Basic Information
| Name | Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall (西尾家住宅水車・牛・鶏小屋門及び塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 694 Oyamakami, Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/7/23 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, tiled roof, gate 2.4 metres wide, wall 13 metres long |
| Owner | Private (owner field blank in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the old San'in Road (lot not open) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004284
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nishio Family Residence Waterwheel, Cattle and Chicken Shed Gate and Wall (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/117164
Last verified: 2026.10.08
