A Short Fence With a Big Job
The Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence (五藤家住宅板塀, Gotō-ke Jūtaku Itabei) is a timber board fence built in 1896 to link the main house and the barn in the Gotō family compound on the Aki Castle site in Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and entered on the national register of Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2008. It is registered not as a building but as a structure.
It stands 1.8 metres high and runs 5.0 metres, starting beside the entrance at the main house's northeast corner, heading north, and ending against the side wall of the barn's lean-to.
Construction and Significance
The Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence is made of vertical boards with narrow battens nailed over the joints, a battened-board finish that keeps wind and rain from finding the gaps, and it is capped with roof tiles. Toward the south end is a small wicket door, a Kugurido, fitted with a sliding Mairado-style panel.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs praises the way the fence continues the line of the main house and barn to create a refined residential scene. It is only 5.0 metres long, but without it the house and barn would be two separate buildings; with it, they become one wall that closes the northeast side of the compound. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape of the nation.
What to Look For
Stand in front of the main-house entrance and look north. The Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence leaves the doorway and runs straight into the barn wall, its tiled top holding a steady line the whole way. At 1.8 metres it is about head height, enough to hide the courtyard beyond.
Look closely at the wicket door. Its sliding panel is made of closely set vertical slats, a small doorway tucked into a wall of upright boards.
Visiting the Fence
The fence stands at the northeast corner of the main house of the Goto Family Aki Residence, beside the entrance. Entry to the residence is free and the fence can be seen from in front of the main house.
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Q&A
- How big is the Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence?
- It is 1.8 metres high and 5.0 metres long, running north from beside the main-house entrance to the side wall of the barn.
- When was the Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1896, the same year as the main house.
- Why is the Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence a registered cultural property?
- It links the main house and barn into one continuous, refined residential frontage. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape of the nation.
- Where is the Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence?
- At the northeast corner of the main house of the Goto Family Aki Residence, running north from beside the entrance to the side wall of the barn's lean-to.
- What is the wicket door in the Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence?
- A small doorway near the south end of the fence, fitted with a sliding panel of closely set vertical slats.
Basic Information
| Name | Goto Family Residence Wooden Fence |
|---|---|
| Location | 955 Doiato, Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/3/7 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled coping, height 1.8 metres, length 5.0 metres |
| Owner | Aki City |
| Public Access | Open as the Goto Family Aki Residence, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays, free admission |
References
- 五藤家住宅板塀 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006943
- Aki City Doi Kachu Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings (Aki City)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=1381
- Aki City Goto Family Aki Residence Ordinance (Aki City)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/reiki/reiki_honbun/o304RG00000834.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
