About the Gate
The Fukuda Family Residence Gate (福田家住宅門, Fukuda-ke Jūtaku Mon) in Higashisako, Noichi-cho, Konan City, Kochi Prefecture, is a reinforced concrete gate of around 1924, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 21, 2002. It is 3.7 meters wide under a tiled roof.
The Fukuda Family Residence Gate stands south of the storehouse and guardhouse. About two ken wide, it served both the family business and the household.
Concrete Frame, Timber Roof
The Fukuda Family Residence Gate changes material partway up. The posts, the crossbeam (Kabuki), the supporting beam beneath it (mebari) and the rear bracing posts (Hikaebashira) are all reinforced concrete.
Above the beam the gate turns back to timber, carrying a gabled pantile roof (Kirizuma-zukuri, Sangawara-buki). Concrete takes the load and the weather; carpentry and tile do the rest. The outline stays that of a traditional gate while the core is new.
Early Concrete, Old Form
The Fukuda Family Residence Gate was registered as difficult to reproduce, under register number 39-0061.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs values the gate, with the reception wing, as an early example of reinforced concrete in Kochi Prefecture. The reception wing used the new material for a new, Western form; the gate used it to reproduce an old one. Side by side, they show two ways of taking up concrete in the same years.
Seeing the Gate
The Fukuda Family Residence Gate is in the southern part of the west edge and serves as the entrance to the compound. Stay outside and look at the frame and roof rather than stepping through.
No public opening has been announced. Access details for the whole compound are on the Fukuda Family Residence group page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Fukuda Family Residence Gate
- [ Katsurahama Beach & Kochi Castle Ryoma Tour ]
Q&A
- How do you read the name of the Fukuda Family Residence Gate?
- Fukuda-ke Jūtaku Mon, following the furigana in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database.
- When was the Fukuda Family Residence Gate built?
- Around 1924. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 21, 2002.
- What is the Fukuda Family Residence Gate made of?
- The posts, crossbeam, supporting beam and rear bracing posts are reinforced concrete; above the beam, a timber gabled roof is covered in pantiles.
- How wide is the Fukuda Family Residence Gate?
- 3.7 meters, about two ken. It served both the family business and the household.
- Can I visit the Fukuda Family Residence Gate?
- No public opening has been announced. It is the entrance on the west side of the compound.
Basic Information
| Name | Fukuda Family Residence Gate (福田家住宅門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 105 Higashisako, Noichi-cho, Konan City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), register no. 39-0061 |
| Year Designated | Registered August 21, 2002 |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, tiled roof, width 3.7 meters |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | No public opening announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Fukuda Family Residence Gate (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003011
- Cultural Heritage Online: Fukuda Family Residence Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/140281
- List of Designated and Registered Cultural Properties (Konan City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.kochi-konan.lg.jp/soshikikarasagasu/kyoikuiinkaishogaigakushuka/rekishi_bunkazai/2/2189.html
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings) in Kochi Cities (Kochi Prefecture, in Japanese)
- https://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/doc/2024031100056/
Last verified: 2026.09.27
