What Is the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate?
The Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate (旧安倍家住宅表門, Kyū Abe-ke Jūtaku Omotemon) is a timber gate on Hidaka-kōji in Mizusawa, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, built in the late Taishō era (1919 to 1926) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 29 June 2022.
The gate opens in the middle of the north side of the Abe estate, straight onto the lane, and measures 2.1 meters across. It has a hipped Yosemune-zukuri roof covered in sheet metal. The Abe front gate is about half a century younger than the main house behind it, but its form follows the gateways of the old samurai quarter, and it is the face the estate shows to the street.
Why the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate Is Registered
The Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate is Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 03-0117, registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a gate that preserves the layout of a samurai residence and helps form the streetscape of the castle town.
During the Edo period Hidaka-kōji was lined with the homes of retainers. The Abe gate went up in the Taishō years, yet the arrangement it anchors, a gate on the lane with a garden and a house set back behind it, is that of a samurai residence. It was valued less for its age than for keeping the lane looking the way it did.
What to Look For at the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate
The first thing to notice on the Abe front gate is the work under the roof. A Kabuki crossbeam spans the tops of the two main posts, and everything above it, all the way around the eaves, is coated in white Shikkui lime plaster. With the eaves sealed in plaster rather than left as exposed timber, the gate looks light for its size, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out this treatment as its distinctive feature.
A pair of board doors hangs in the opening, and a small Kugurido wicket door sits to the east side, the combination of a large ceremonial opening and a small everyday one that belongs to residential gateways.
The walls on either side of the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate are also plastered, with a skirting of Shitami-itabari clapboard below. White above and horizontal boards below give the gate a tidy, grounded look from the street. For the classic front view, stand to the northeast; the photograph in the national database was taken from that angle.
Visiting the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate
Because the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate faces Hidaka-kōji, you can look at it from the street at any time. The plastered eaves and the position of the wicket door are easy to make out from the road.
Walking through the gate into the grounds is possible only on a visit booked with Oshu City. When you do, turn around once inside to see the back of the gate. Directions and visiting conditions for the whole estate are on the Former Abe Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When was the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate built?
- The national database dates it to the late Taishō era (1919 to 1926). The exact year is not known.
- What is distinctive about the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate?
- It has a hipped sheet-metal roof, a crossbeam on the main posts, and eaves coated entirely in lime plaster. There is a wicket door to the east of the double board doors, and the side walls have a clapboard skirting.
- How wide is the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate?
- According to the national database, the opening is 2.1 meters wide.
- When did the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 29 June 2022, as registration number 03-0117, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Can I see the Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate without a reservation?
- Yes, from the outside. It faces the street and can be viewed at any time. To pass through the gate you need to book a visit with Oshu City, held on weekdays from 20 March to 15 November and free of charge.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Abe Family Residence Front Gate (旧安倍家住宅表門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21-1 Hidakakoji, Mizusawa, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), Registration No. 03-0117 |
| Year Designated | Registered 29 June 2022 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, sheet-metal roof, 2.1 meters wide |
| Owner | Oshu City |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street; grounds open by reservation (weekdays, 20 March to 15 November, free) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 旧安倍家住宅表門 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00014223
- Former Abe Family Residence (Oshu City official website, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.oshu.iwate.jp/kanko/osusume/4/3/889.html
Last verified: 2026.09.28
