The estate's face on the street
The row house and gate, or nagaya and nagayamon, run along the south-east edge of the Otoshi compound in Shinnobe, Befu, and give the roughly 900-tsubo estate its face on the street. The gate opens near the centre of that edge.
North of the gate stands a storehouse-like block; to the south a service wing built as one with the gate continues, and beyond it a carpenter's room. The northern block carries white plaster above and board siding below, and this alternation of pale plaster and dark boarding sets the rhythm of the street frontage. The range is a single storey with a tiled roof and a building area of 284 square metres, the largest footprint among the nine buildings after the main house.
Why it is registered
The nagaya and nagayamon were registered on 18 November 1999 within the nine-building Otoshi group. A gate range of this length did more than control the entrance; it combined a threshold, storage and workspace in a single structure that walled off the estate from the road.
Its value lies partly in that combined function and partly in its contribution to the historic landscape, the criterion under which registered properties are protected. Along this street the range is the first and largest thing a passer-by sees of the Otoshi holding.
What to look for
Look at how the frontage is composed. The white-plastered upper wall over dark boards gives the long elevation a measured pattern, and the gate breaks it at the centre. The change from storehouse-like block to service wing to carpenter's room can be traced along the roofline.
Because the range fronts the public street, it is the part of the private residence most easily seen. The interior is not open, but the gate and walls can be viewed from the road.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Otoshi Family Residence Row House and Row House Gate
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Q&A
- What is a nagayamon?
- A gate built as one with a long row-house range, combining entrance, storage and workspace.
- How does it shape the street?
- White plaster over dark board siding gives the long frontage a patterned rhythm, broken by the central gate.
- How large is it?
- About 284 square metres, the second-largest of the nine buildings after the main house.
- Can I see it?
- Yes, from the street; it fronts the public road, though the interior is private.
Basic Information
| Name | Otoshi Family Residence Row House and Gate (Otoshike Jutaku Nagaya, Nagayamon) |
|---|---|
| Location | 881 Shinnobe, Befu-cho, Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Category | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Registered | 18 November 1999 |
| Structure | Wooden, one storey, tiled roof; building area approx. 284 sq m; 1 building |
| Period | Edo period, 19th century |
| Access | Fronts the public street; exterior viewable, interior private |
References
- Kakogawa City — Otoshi Family Residence, nine Registered Tangible Cultural Properties
- https://www.city.kakogawa.lg.jp/soshikikarasagasu/kyouiku/kakuka/kyoikushidobu/bunkazai_cyosa/bunkazai/kunitourokukaisetu/kunitourokuootosikejuutaku.html
- Kakogawa City — List of designated and registered cultural properties
- https://www.city.kakogawa.lg.jp/soshikikarasagasu/kyouiku/kakuka/kyoikushidobu/bunkazai_cyosa/bunkazai/siteitourokubunkazaiitiran20230320.html
- Kakogawa City — Registered cultural properties, individual entries
- https://www.city.kakogawa.lg.jp/soshikikarasagasu/kyouiku/kakuka/kyoikushidobu/bunkazai_cyosa/bunkazai/kunitourokukaisetu/index.html
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — Cultural Properties
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/
Last verified: 2026.07.04