A Wall of Stone and Red Earth
Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall (岩崎家住宅練塀, Iwasaki-ke Jūtaku Neribei) is an early Meiji earthen wall at Iwasaki Yatarō's birthplace in Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010. It runs east from the north-east corner of the East Storehouse and then turns south along the edge of the fields.
Including the turn it is 15 metres long, 0.6 metres thick and 1.0 metres high. On the east side the ground drops, so large stones are piled at the foot and the wall stands 1.6 metres high on that face. A narrow tiled cap in Sangawara-buki runs along the top.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a traditional wall of the kind known locally as ishiguro, made of mountain stone and red earth. Stones form the core, red clay is packed and built up around them, and tiles protect the vulnerable top of the earth from rain.
Marking the Edge of the Grounds
The Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. It is not a building, and the Agency's database classes it as a structure of another kind.
Its value lies in how clearly it defines the grounds. Continuing from the walls of the two storehouses on the north, it draws the line against the fields to the east, separating inside from outside. It also keeps alive, as a real example, the Tosa technique of building in stone and red earth.
It is dated to the early Meiji era, but the Agency's database gives only the span of the whole Meiji period in its Western-date field, and no precise year of construction is known.
The View from the Field Side
The best view of the Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall is from the east, facing the fields. You can see how the change in level is taken up by the heavy stone footing, with the red earth wall rising above it. The size and bedding of the stones, and the small pebbles caught in the clay, become clearer the closer you get.
Look also at the north-west end where wall meets storehouse. White lime plaster and red earth, two quite different finishes, join to form the north-east corner of the grounds.
Visiting the Earthen Wall
The Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall can be viewed free of charge during the grounds' opening hours. Walls of earth and stone crumble easily, so do not climb on or lean against it. The fields are private land; view the wall from within the grounds.
Press and other filming requires the owners' permission. Opening hours and directions are covered on the Iwasaki Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall built?
- In the early Meiji era; no exact year is recorded. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 April 2010.
- How big is the Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall?
- It is 15 metres long, 0.6 metres thick and 1.0 metres high. On the lower east side, a footing of large stones raises it to 1.6 metres.
- What is ishiguro, as used for the Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall?
- A local name for the traditional Tosa wall built of mountain stone and red earth packed together and capped with tiles.
- Where is the best place to see the Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall?
- From the east, facing the fields, where the stone footing and the red earth wall above it are easiest to read. Please do not enter the fields.
- Is there a fee to see the Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall?
- No. It can be viewed free of charge from within the grounds during opening hours.
Basic Information
| Name | Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall (岩崎家住宅練塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1696 Ko, Inokuchi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, and adjoining lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration no. 39-0259 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/04/28 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone and red-earth wall with tiled cap; 15 m long, 0.6 m thick, 1.0 m high (1.6 m on the east face) |
| Owner | Private (Iwasaki family) |
| Public Access | Free to view from within the grounds |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008206
- Cultural Heritage Online: Iwasaki Family Residence Earthen Wall
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/169011
- Aki City: Iwasaki Yataro Birthplace (Japanese)
- https://www.city.aki.kochi.jp/life/dtl.php?hdnKey=45
Last verified: 2026.09.25
