About the Seishikan Garden Wall
The Seishikan (Former Tomita Family Residence) Garden Wall (静思館（旧冨田家住宅）庭塀, Seishikan Niwabei) is a tile-capped timber wall built in 1934 in Ueno, Inagawa Town, Hyogo Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2004.
On Tomita Kumasaku's estate it runs 13 m from the east end of the Front Gate to the east side of the formal Shikidai entrance on the south front of the Main House. Two ken from the gate it turns at a right angle, dividing the forecourt on the west from the inner garden on the east.
Why the Seishikan Garden Wall was registered
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the Seishikan Garden Wall for its contribution to the historic landscape. Guests passing through the Front Gate were steered by this wall into the forecourt and on to the house entrance. Behind it lies the inner garden with the Study Storehouse and the Tea Room, so the wall marks the line between the public and private parts of the estate.
The timber is red Bengara and the panels yellow Ōtsu plaster, the same finish as the Front Gate and the Brushwood Room. It carries the color scheme of the front of the estate unbroken from the gate to the house.
What to look for at the Seishikan Garden Wall
The two faces of the Seishikan Garden Wall are finished differently. On the forecourt side the lower wall is vertical boarding; on the inner-garden side it is clad in cedar bark. Neat boards face the guests' approach, while rustic bark faces the tea garden.
Windows of coarse lattice let glimpses of the inner garden through, and 3 ken from the Main House a pair of sliding doors leads from the forecourt into the inner garden. Look at the wall from both sides if you can.
Visiting the Seishikan Garden Wall
The Seishikan Garden Wall is on your right just inside the Front Gate and can be seen in full from the forecourt. On opening days, ask the caretaker whether you can go through the sliding door into the inner garden to see the bark-clad side.
Opening days and access are on the Seishikan page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Seishikan (Former Tomita Family Residence) Garden Wall
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- Where is the Seishikan Garden Wall?
- It runs from the east end of the Front Gate to the formal entrance of the Main House, turning at a right angle 2 ken from the gate.
- How long is the Seishikan Garden Wall?
- It is a tile-capped timber wall 13 m long.
- How do the two sides of the Seishikan Garden Wall differ?
- The lower wall is vertical boarding on the forecourt side and cedar bark on the inner-garden side.
- Why is the Seishikan Garden Wall a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2004 for its contribution to the historic landscape, dividing the forecourt from the inner garden in the same finish as the Front Gate.
- Can I go through the Seishikan Garden Wall into the inner garden?
- There is a sliding door 3 ken from the Main House. Ask the caretaker on the day whether the inner garden is open.
Basic Information
| Name | Seishikan (Former Tomita Family Residence) Garden Wall (静思館（旧冨田家住宅）庭塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 22 Ueno Machimawari, Inagawa Town, Kawabe District, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2004 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 13 m long |
| Owner | Inagawa Town |
| Public Access | Open to the public as Seishikan (free; closed Mondays) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 静思館（旧冨田家住宅）庭塀
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004168
- Cultural Heritage Online: 静思館（旧冨田家住宅）庭塀
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/139938
- Inagawa Town: Inagawa Town Seishikan
- https://www.town.inagawa.lg.jp/soshiki/1036/gyomu/1/seishikan/6710.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
