The Water Behind the House
The Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well (旧国鉄矢岳駅駅長官舎井戸) is a stone-lined well built around 1909 beside the stationmaster's house at Yatake Station in Yatake-cho, Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2003.
It lies on the east side of the main house. The shaft is lined with squared blocks of welded tuff, 1.1 metres across inside and about 4.5 metres deep. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a structure with an area of 0.87 square metres.
Welded tuff forms when volcanic ash settles while still hot and fuses into rock. Here it was cut into blocks and stacked to form the walls of the shaft.
Why the Well Matters
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well as a direct record of daily life at a stationmaster's house in a remote posting.
Before piped water reached the mountains, a station household had to find its own. When the house was built, the household's water had to be provided on site as well. The house on its own cannot tell you where the family drew its water; with the well beside it, their life comes into view as a whole.
The Agency's description at the time of registration notes that the well was still in use. Masonry nearly a century old was, in 2003, still doing its job.
What to Look For
The interest is in the stonework. The builders used cut, squared blocks rather than rough fieldstone, which gives straight, regular joints and a carefully finished look.
Notice the position too. The well is on the east side of the house, the same side as the projecting kitchen, keeping the distance for carrying water short. House plan and well were clearly laid out together.
Visiting
The Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well stands within the grounds of the staff house and is not open to visitors. The main house has been used as a guesthouse since 2019, but its current status could not be confirmed from official sources. Please do not enter the property.
The Hisatsu Line between Yatsushiro and Yoshimatsu has been closed since the heavy rain of July 2020, so Yatake can only be reached by car.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kumamoto
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well
- [ Kumamoto Castle & Mt. Aso Volcano Tours ]
Q&A
- Can I visit the Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well?
- It is not open to visitors. It lies within the grounds of the staff house, so please do not enter the property.
- How big is the Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well?
- It is 1.1 metres across inside and about 4.5 metres deep, with a registered area of 0.87 square metres.
- What is the Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well made of?
- Squared blocks of welded tuff.
- Is the Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well still in use?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs' description at registration in 2003 says it was still in use. Its use since then cannot be confirmed from official sources.
- Why was the Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well registered?
- Because it directly shows how people lived at a stationmaster's house in a remote posting. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Basic Information
| Name | Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well |
|---|---|
| Location | 4762 Kayanomoto, Yatake-cho, Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2003/7/1 (Heisei 15) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone, area 0.87 square metres, 1.1 metres inner diameter, about 4.5 metres deep |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Not open to the public |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003492
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Well
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/168802
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Former JNR Yatake Station Stationmaster's Residence Main House (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003491
- Hitoyoshi City Basic Concept for History and Culture (Hitoyoshi City, March 2015)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/rekishibunka/pdf/hitoyoshishi.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.25
