What the Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall Is
The Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall (森澤家住宅外周石垣, Morisawa-ke jūtaku gaishū ishigaki) is a middle Meiji-period stone rampart in Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 10 November 2005. It runs around the east and north sides of the estate for a total of 59 metres, and on the east side it doubles as the foundation of the buildings.
The masonry changes from section to section. The southern half of the east side, 26.3 metres, and the north side, 14.6 metres, are laid with stones dressed to square faces. The northern half of the east side, 18.5 metres, is laid with stones dressed to hexagonal faces, the tortoiseshell pattern known as kikkō.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the southern half of the east side is the newest part. The north face has a slight curve.
Why It Was Registered
The Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, on the same day as the buildings, as the structure that carries the estate's perimeter.
It is more than an enclosure. On the east side, the gatehouse, the pickling room and the outer wall all stand on it, so the stonework is literally the footing of the buildings. The eastern perimeter rises as one composition, buildings and wall together, from this stone base.
The variation in masonry has its own value. There are square-faced and tortoiseshell-faced sections, and the southern half of the east side is said to be the newest. Differences in date and workmanship survive within one continuous wall, suggesting that the estate may have been built up in stages rather than all at once.
What to Look For
Look for the tortoiseshell section, 18.5 metres along the northern half of the east side. The stones are dressed to near-hexagonal faces and fitted together like a honeycomb, a time-consuming kind of work. Compare it with the square-faced section just to the south and the difference in outline is obvious.
Along the 14.6 metres of the north side, look for the curve. Rather than rising straight, the wall is laid with a slight curve, and because it is subtle it reads better when you look along the wall at an angle than when you face it head-on.
The 26.3 metres of the southern half of the east side are described as the newest. On these neatly coursed square-faced stones stand the gatehouse and the pickling room.
Visiting
No opening of the Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall has been announced (checked 25 September 2026). Built on the east and north perimeter, its outer face may be visible from outside. A water channel runs along the east side, and the openings of the stone basins and the stone bridge are on that side as well.
Please do not climb on or touch the stonework. Directions to the estate are on the Morisawa Family Residence page.
Q&A
- Where is the Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall?
- Around the east and north sides of the Morisawa Family Residence, 59 metres in total. On the east side it also serves as the foundation of the buildings.
- How is the Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall built?
- The southern half of the east side (26.3 metres) and the north side (14.6 metres) use square-faced stones; the northern half of the east side (18.5 metres) uses tortoiseshell-faced masonry.
- Which part of the Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall is newest?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the southern half of the east side.
- What is the curve on the Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall?
- The north face is not built straight up but laid with a slight curve.
- Can you see the Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall?
- No opening has been announced, but as it runs along the perimeter, its outer face may be visible from outside.
Basic Information
| Name | Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall (森澤家住宅外周石垣) |
|---|---|
| Location | 559 Doi, Aki City, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), No. 39-0208 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/11/10 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone, total length 59 metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior from outside only) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Morisawa Family Residence Outer Stone Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005054
- Kochi Prefecture: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings)
- https://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/doc/2023062200186/
Last verified: 2026.09.25
