A 64-meter wall around the compound
The Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall (田中家住宅外塀, Tanaka-ke Jūtaku Sotobei) in Tonouchi-chō, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, is a roofed boundary wall from around 1887 that turns corners as it wraps the Tanaka plot, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on September 10, 2010 (number 28-0459). It runs for 64 meters in total (Amagasaki City gives 63.6 meters) and is counted as one structure.
More than any other part of the property, the Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall sets the impression the compound makes from outside. It was registered with the main house, storehouse and east gate as a group of four.
A tiled roof over plaster and charred cedar
The wall is a timber frame on a base of cut stone, capped with its own gabled roof of pantiles. Its posts are left exposed in the Shinkabe manner with lime plaster between them, and vertical boarding (Tateita-bari) runs up to about waist height. Amagasaki City describes the upper face as white plaster and the lower as charred cedar boarding.
The white upper band and dark lower band carry on unbroken around the plot, the same finish used on the storehouse and gate, and that is what ties the whole street front together. The Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall was repaired in 1957 and 2008.
Leading the way to the east gate
The Agency for Cultural Affairs says that the wall, together with the storehouse, forms the historic edge of the property, and that on the eastern side in particular it lends character to the approach to the east gate. Following the wall north of the gate, the white-and-dark line runs until it breaks and the gate opens.
The Agency's description of the storehouse also points to the stretch of wall running east from it as part of the street scene. Wall, storehouse and gate form one continuous frontage, which is why the four were registered together.
Visiting
Because the Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall runs along the edge of the plot, the street-facing stretches can be seen from the road. Inside is a private home; Amagasaki City states that it is not open to the public (as of October 2026). Please do not lean on the wall or look over it.
The background of the compound, what can be seen from outside and directions are on the Tanaka Family Residence (Amagasaki) page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall
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Q&A
- Where is the Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall?
- Around the edge of the Tanaka Family Residence plot in Tonouchi-chō 3-chōme, Amagasaki City, turning corners as it goes.
- How long is the Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall?
- 64 meters in total. Amagasaki City gives the length as 63.6 meters.
- When was the Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall registered?
- On September 10, 2010, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 28-0459. It dates to around 1887.
- What is the Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall made of?
- A timber wall on a cut-stone base with a gabled pantile roof, white lime plaster above and vertical charred cedar boards below.
- Can visitors see the Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall?
- Yes, the street-facing parts can be seen from the road, but the property inside is a private home and is not open to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall (田中家住宅外塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-637 Tonouchicho, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 28-0459 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/09/10 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Timber boarded wall; gabled pantile roof; cut-stone base; total length 64 meters (Amagasaki City gives 63.6 meters) |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Grounds not open (private home); street-facing sections visible from the road |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008316
- Cultural Heritage Online: Tanaka Family Residence Outer Wall
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/168738
- Amagasaki City: Registered Cultural Properties of Amagasaki, Tanaka Family Residence
- https://www.city.amagasaki.hyogo.jp/manabu/bunkazai_0/1028308/1028313/1028792.html
Last verified: 2026.10.04
