The Goyashiki West Earthen Wall
Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall (郷屋敷（旧井上家住宅）西練塀, nishi neribei) is an early Meiji-era neribei wall enclosing the southern part of the west side of the Inoue family estate in Mure-cho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on October 12, 2001.
It is 1.8 meters high and about 18 meters long including its bends, and its south end meets the Storehouse. The national database records it as a tile-capped earthen wall 18 meters long, dated to the early Meiji era, shortly after 1868.
A Wall Left in Rough Clay
The Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall stands on random rubble of andesite-type stone. The wall above is left with an aragabe finish, the coarse base coat of a clay wall, and is capped with tiles. The surface is quite unlike the white plaster of the East Earthen Wall.
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The official commentary says the wall neatly encloses the southwest of the estate and is a necessary part of the layout. Short as it is, it sits at the hinge where the row of street storehouses turns into the west boundary.
What to Look For
On the Goyashiki West Earthen Wall, look at the clay itself. An aragabe finish typically leaves the straw and grit mixed into the earth visible on the surface, a plain, rustic note on an estate dominated by white walls.
Follow the bends as well. Within its 18 meters the wall changes direction and ties into the end of the Storehouse, closing the southwest corner. The Goyashiki website describes the west side as a line of storehouse and shed with an earthen wall running round to the front road, and this wall is the final stretch of that line.
Visiting the West Earthen Wall
The Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall forms part of the southwest perimeter. The website offers no visitor guidance for it, so if you view it from outside, do not step onto neighboring private land.
The rough clay surface crumbles easily; please do not touch it. Hours and directions are on the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) group page.
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Q&A
- When was the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall built?
- In the early Meiji era, shortly after 1868. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2001.
- How long and how tall is the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall?
- It is 1.8 meters high and about 18 meters long including its bends.
- How is the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall finished?
- A random-rubble base of andesite-type stone, a rough clay (aragabe) wall, and a tiled top.
- How does the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall differ from the East Earthen Wall?
- The east wall is finished in white plaster, while the west wall is left in rough clay.
- Where is the Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall?
- On the southern part of the west side, with its south end meeting the Storehouse.
Basic Information
| Name | Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 1987 Omachi, Mure-cho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2001 (Heisei 13) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Earthen wall, tile capping, 18 meters long (1.8 meters high) |
| Owner | Not disclosed (no owner listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Southwest perimeter wall of the estate; no visitor guidance |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Cultural Properties Database: Goyashiki (Former Inoue Family Residence) West Earthen Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002458
- Goyashiki official website: About Goyashiki
- https://goyashiki.co.jp/about/
Last verified: 2026.09.16
