Bridge Pillars Reborn as a School Gate
The Gate Pillars of the Municipal Minato Junior High School (former parapet pillars of Hanazono Bridge) (市立港中学校門柱（旧花園橋親柱）) is a pair of stone gate pillars of 1928 in Minato Junior High School in Yamashita-cho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on November 18, 1999 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records two stone gate pillars, 5.2 metres across and 3.8 metres high; registration number 14-0028.
Pillars from an Earthquake Reconstruction Bridge
The gate pillars were moved here from Hanazono Bridge, which crossed the Ha-Ooka River as part of the reconstruction after the Great Kanto Earthquake (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Each consists of a stone shaft about 2.8 metres high and 1.2 metres square, topped by a cast-iron lamp about 1.1 metres high (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The pillars were registered as a model of form (Agency for Cultural Affairs). They are the largest parapet pillars among Yokohama's earthquake reconstruction bridges.
What to Look For
Look for the Art Deco styling throughout and the cast-iron lamps crowning the stone shafts (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The pillars serve as the gate of Minato Junior High School and can be seen from outside. Do not enter the school grounds.
Q&A
- When were the Minato Junior High School gate pillars made?
- In 1928 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where are the gate pillars?
- At Minato Junior High School in Yamashita-cho, Naka Ward, Yokohama.
- What should I look for?
- The Art Deco design and the cast-iron lamps.
- Can I see the gate pillars?
- Yes, from outside; they serve as the school gate.
- When was the Gate Pillars of the Municipal Minato Junior High School (former parapet pillars of Hanazono Bridge) registered?
- On November 18, 1999 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Gate Pillars of the Municipal Minato Junior High School (former parapet pillars of Hanazono Bridge) (市立港中学校門柱（旧花園橋親柱）) |
|---|---|
| Location | 241 Yamashita-cho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1999/11/18 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 2 structures |
| Dimensions | Two stone pillars, 5.2 m across, 3.8 m high |
| Owner | Yokohama City |
| Public Access | In use as a school gate (visible from outside) |
References
- Gate Pillars of the Municipal Minato Junior High School (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001409
Last verified: 2026.10.15