What Is the Odagaki Family Residence Wall?
The Odagaki Family Residence Wall (小田垣家住宅塀, Odagaki-ke Jūtaku Hei) is a tile-roofed timber boundary wall from the late Meiji era around the Odagaki Shoten property in Tatemachi, Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 2, 2007. It runs for 22 meters and includes a gate.
The wall starts at the southwest corner of the shop and heads south. At the southwest corner of the lot it steps up in height, turns east and ends at the entrance of the detached room, enclosing the residential side of the property from the shop front on the old Kyo Kaido to its southern edge.
Why the Odagaki Family Residence Wall Was Registered
The Odagaki Family Residence Wall was registered, like the other nine Odagaki buildings, for its contribution to the historic landscape. It is the only one of the ten listed as a structure rather than a building, and the agency's description says its job is to give the street some variety.
The tatami room, tea room and detached room behind it are almost invisible from the road. For anyone walking along the old highway, this wall is the whole public face of the Odagaki household: it keeps the garden private while still signaling that there is a garden and reception rooms on the other side.
What to Look For Along the Odagaki Family Residence Wall
The Odagaki Family Residence Wall is built in three horizontal bands: vertical boards up to a high dado, earthen plaster above, and a tiled coping on top.
Watch for the garden gates. Where the tatami room and tea room lie inside, the wall opens in gateways sheltered by small copper-roofed eaves. Those copper roofs break up a long run of tile and plaster, and following them tells you roughly where the reception rooms stand behind the wall.
At the southwest corner the ridge of the wall rises a step before the wall turns east, a small change of height that is easy to see from the street.
Visiting the Odagaki Family Residence Wall
Because it lines the street, the Odagaki Family Residence Wall can be seen from the public road at any time, free of charge. Together with the shop front, it is one of the few Odagaki buildings you can look at freely from outside.
Inside the wall are the residential buildings and the Mameya guesthouse, which admits only its own guests (checked September 2026). Enjoy the garden gates from outside without stepping through. Photograph from the public road and keep clear of passing traffic. Directions and shop hours are on the Odagaki Shoten page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Odagaki Family Residence Wall
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Odagaki Family Residence Wall built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the Odagaki Family Residence Wall to the late Meiji era, the same period as the tatami room and tea room inside.
- Can I see the Odagaki Family Residence Wall?
- Yes. The Odagaki Family Residence Wall faces the street and can be viewed from the public road at any time, free of charge; the grounds behind it are closed (checked September 2026).
- How long is the Odagaki Family Residence Wall?
- It runs 22 meters, south from the shop's southwest corner and then east to the entrance of the detached room.
- Where are the gates in the Odagaki Family Residence Wall?
- Garden gates with copper-roofed eaves open in the Odagaki Family Residence Wall opposite the tatami room and the tea room.
- When was the Odagaki Family Residence Wall registered?
- It was registered on October 2, 2007, under registration number 28-0292.
Basic Information
| Name | Odagaki Family Residence Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 15 Tatemachi and others, Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture (listed as Sasayama City in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered October 2, 2007 |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, 22 meters long, with gate |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the public road (grounds closed) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 小田垣家住宅塀
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006358
- Cultural Heritage Online: Odagaki Family Residence Wall
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/143621
- Odagaki Shoten official site: Main Store and Mamedou
- https://www.odagaki.co.jp/store/facility
- Mameya: FAQ
- https://mameya.odagaki.co.jp/faq
Last verified: 2026.09.28
