What the Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins Are
The Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins (森澤家住宅汲み池, Morisawa-ke jūtaku kumiike) are three stone-built water points of the middle Meiji period in Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 10 November 2005. A kumiike, literally a drawing pond, was where water was drawn and where washing was done.
Two of the basins are built inside the boundary walls, at the southeast and southwest of the main house. The third lies on the boundary north of the annex. All three are of laid stone.
Of the two on the east side, the southern one is built of cut stone and the northern one of rounded stones, and both have openings toward the water channel for water to come in and drain out. A stone bridge crosses the channel beside the northern basin. The registry counts the basins and bridge together as a single site.
Why They Were Registered
The Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins were registered for their contribution to the historic landscape. They are a case of water structures, not buildings, being registered as part of an estate.
The key is their connection to the channel running outside the property. Openings in the stonework let water in from the channel and let used water run back out. Alongside the well, the household had separate places that drew on the channel for fetching water and for washing. The system by which the household drew the channel into its daily life survives here in stone.
The distribution matters as well. The three basins lie to the southeast, southwest and northeast rather than in one place, which suggests that water points were provided around the estate where they were needed.
What to Look For
Compare the two east-side basins. The southern one is laid in squared cut stone, the northern one in rounded natural stones. Both are water points of the same kind on the same estate, but the effort spent on their finish is clearly different.
Look for the inlet and outlet openings. They pierce the stone walls toward the channel and regulate the flow. A kumiike is not just a still pond but a fitting that works together with the channel.
Beside the northern basin, a stone bridge spans the channel. Basin and bridge together make a small waterside scene along the edge of the estate.
Visiting
No opening of the Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins has been announced (checked 25 September 2026). The basins are built on the boundary, and the two on the east side open toward the channel, so part of the stonework and the stone bridge may be visible from the channel side. Anything inside the walls cannot be seen.
Please photograph only from outside the grounds. Directions to the estate are on the Morisawa Family Residence page.
Q&A
- What are the Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins?
- Stone-built water points for drawing water and washing. There are three, with openings toward a water channel for supply and drainage.
- Where are the Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins?
- Two are inside the boundary walls to the southeast and southwest of the main house, and one is on the boundary north of the annex.
- How do the Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins differ from one another?
- Of the two on the east side, the southern basin is built of cut stone and the northern one of rounded stones.
- Where is the stone bridge at the Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins?
- It spans the channel beside the northern basin. The three basins and the bridge are registered together as one site.
- Can you see the Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins?
- No opening has been announced. Because they sit on the boundary, part of the stonework and the bridge may be visible from the channel side.
Basic Information
| Name | Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins (森澤家住宅汲み池) |
|---|---|
| Location | 559 Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), No. 39-0204 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/11/10 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 site |
| Dimensions | Stone construction, 3 basins, with a stone bridge |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (on the boundary) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Morisawa Family Residence Kumiike Water Basins
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005050
- Kochi Prefecture: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings)
- https://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/doc/2023062200186/
Last verified: 2026.09.25
