The Tomii Family Residence Gate
The Tomii Family Residence Gate (富井家住宅門) is a house gate of the late Edo period (between 1830 and 1867) in Kachu, Tadotsu-cho, Kagawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 18, 2006 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a timber gate with a tiled roof, 2.4 metres wide, of the late Edo period; registration number 37-0312.
One of the four buildings of the Tomii Family Residence, it stands at the front of the house, before the entrance of the Main House.
How It Is Built
It is a bracket-arm gate with rear bracing posts, under a gabled roof of hongawara tile, 2.4 metres wide (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The east half is a black-plastered wall with battened weatherboarding below. The west half is open, closed by a lattice door and a panelled door that slide one over the other into the east half.
Why It Was Registered
It was registered as contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency describes the Tomii Family Residence Gate as small but carefully made, a structure that sets the front of the property in order.
Together with the New Reception Room at the roadside, it forms the face the Tomii Family Residence shows to the street.
What to Look For
The Tomii Family Residence Gate stands a little back from the street, leaving a small apron in front. It is an Udekimon, a bracket-arm gate braced with rear posts, under a gabled hongawara roof.
Its two halves are treated differently. The east half is a wall of black plaster with a lower skirt of battened weatherboarding. The west half is the opening, closed by two stacked sliding doors, a lattice door and a Mairado panelled door, which slide back behind the east wall. It is neither a hinged nor a double-leaf gate but a small one with pocket doors.
With the lattice door drawn across, air can pass while eyes are screened; with the panelled door, the gate is shut solid. The pair hints at how the household opened and closed itself to the street.
Visiting
The Tomii Family Residence Gate faces the street, so you can see it from the road. Behind it is a private home, and you may not pass through the gate (no public opening announced as of October 2026).
The doors on the west side are in daily use by the residents, so please do not touch or slide them. From in front of the gate you should also be able to see the roof of the Main House beyond (a judgement from the layout).
Q&A
- Where is the Tomii Family Residence Gate?
- At the front of the Tomii Family Residence, 8-6 Kachu, Tadotsu-cho, Kagawa, set back slightly from the street in front of the Main House entrance and facing south.
- Can you see the Tomii Family Residence Gate from outside?
- Yes, it faces the street. The house behind is a private home, so you cannot go through the gate.
- What type of gate is the Tomii Family Residence Gate?
- A late Edo period bracket-arm gate (udekimon) with rear bracing posts and a gabled hongawara roof, 2.4 metres wide (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How do the doors of the Tomii Family Residence Gate work?
- The west half is the opening, fitted with a lattice door and a panelled mairado door that slide back, one over the other, behind the black-plastered east wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Tomii Family Residence Gate registered?
- On October 18, 2006 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Tomii Family Residence Gate (富井家住宅門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 8-6 Kachu, Tadotsu-cho, Nakatado-gun, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/10/18 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2.4 metres wide |
| Owner | Private owner (per Tadotsu Town) |
| Public Access | Private home; no interior access announced |
References
- Tomii Family Residence Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00005759
- List of cultural properties in Tadotsu (Tadotsu Town, Japanese)
- https://www.town.tadotsu.kagawa.jp/soshikikarasagasu/kyoikuiinkaijimukyokusyougaigakusyuka/shakaikyoiku/2/565.html
- Descriptions of cultural properties in Tadotsu (Tadotsu Town, Japanese)
- https://www.town.tadotsu.kagawa.jp/soshikikarasagasu/kyoikuiinkaijimukyokusyougaigakusyuka/shakaikyoiku/2/563.html
Last verified: 2026.10.20
