Seventy-Two Metres of Tuff and Hedge
The Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall (鮫島家住宅石塀, Sameshima-ke Jūtaku Ishibei) is a late Meiji-period boundary wall of local tuff enclosing the Sameshima estate in Kaseda Fumoto, Minamisatsuma City, Kagoshima Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 July 2011. It runs to 72 metres in total and is topped along its length by a clipped hedge.
The wall comes in 2 parts. One is a short stretch west of the street storehouse. The other starts at the gatehouse, runs east along the street, turns north to close the east side of the lot and bends west at its far end. Between them, the storehouse and gatehouse complete the line.
Cut Stone Below, Green Above
The stone is tuff quarried locally, cut into long, low blocks. The largest measure 1.0 metres long, 0.25 metres high and 0.30 metres thick, and they are laid in level courses close to Nunozumi bond, so the horizontal joints run straight along the street.
A hedge on top is standard in Kaseda Fumoto. Rather than build the enclosure entirely in stone, the cut stone is finished with trimmed greenery on top. The stone walls and hedges that define each plot are named among the reasons the district was selected as a preservation district.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall forms part of the settlement landscape of Kaseda Fumoto. The lanes of the district are, in effect, made of walls like this one laid end to end, and this is one section of them. It was listed under the criterion of contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Notice
Walk it. Start west of the storehouse, pass the gatehouse, turn the east corner and follow it north, watching how the coursing and the hedge line carry on. The blocks vary slightly in length, and the pattern of long and short stones shows the choices of whoever laid them.
Visiting
Because it faces the lane, the Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall can be seen freely from outside. The property behind it is a private home and cannot be entered. Please do not climb the wall or disturb the hedge. Directions to the district are given on the Sameshima Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- How long is the Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall?
- 72 metres in total, made up of a stretch west of the storehouse and a longer run from the gatehouse along the street, up the east side and back west at the north end.
- What stone is the Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall made of?
- Local tuff, cut into blocks up to 1.0 metres long, 0.25 metres high and 0.30 metres thick.
- Can the Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall be seen from the street?
- Yes. It faces the lane and can be viewed freely from outside; the property behind it is private and closed to visitors.
- What grows on top of the Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall?
- A clipped hedge. Enclosing each plot with cut stone and hedging is characteristic of Kaseda Fumoto.
- When was the Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall registered?
- On 25 July 2011, together with the other listings of the Sameshima estate.
Basic Information
| Name | Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall (鮫島家住宅石塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 18275 Kaseda Takeda, Minamisatsuma City, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 46-0101 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone; total length 72 metres |
| Owner | Private individual (not published) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence; exterior visible from the street) |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Sameshima Family Residence Stone Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008799
- Japan Heritage Portal, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Sameshima (Kenji) Family Residence
- https://www.japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/4679/
- Satsuma Samurai Towns Japan Heritage Council: Sameshima (Kenji) Family Residence
- https://kagoshima-fumoto.jp/minamisatsuma/%E9%AE%AB%E5%B3%B6%E5%81%A5%E5%BF%97%E5%AE%B6%E4%BD%8F%E5%AE%85/
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Minamisatsuma-shi Kaseda Fumoto
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/103/00000125
- Satsuma Samurai Towns Japan Heritage Council: Kaseda Fumoto
- https://kagoshima-fumoto.jp/minamisatsuma/
- Minamisatsuma Tourism Association: Kaseda Fumoto walking map (PDF)
- https://kanko-minamisatsuma.jp/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/feature-kasedamachiaruki.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.25
