A Tiled Fence 161 Metres Long
The Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall, in Tanoura, Ashikita Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, is a tiled timber boundary wall built around 1894 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 18 October 2000.
In Japanese it is 藤崎家住宅（赤松館）塀 (hei, the wall). It runs 161 metres and encloses the core of the estate on all four sides, leaving out only the rice storehouse and the vegetable plot in front of it. Built as a board fence under a tile coping, it works with the gates and storehouses to draw the outline of the property.
The 30-Metre Street Front
The Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs points above all to the front.
Along the front and the east side the wall steps up in height. On the front, white lime plaster above a skirt of clapboard continues for about 30 metres, with the front gate set into it. That unbroken surface is the backbone of the estate's street facade.
Reading the Heights
Walk the perimeter and the difference is easy to see: the faces that passers-by would notice are raised and finished in white, while the rear runs lower as plain boarding.
The wall also merges with the buildings. On the west, the outer wall of the basket shed carries on the line of the fence; on the front, the miso storehouse, the row house and the central gate match their exteriors to it. Tracing where the wall ends and the buildings begin is a good way to understand how the estate was assembled.
Seeing the Wall
Because the Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall forms the outer edge of the estate, much of it, including the 30-metre front, can be seen from the lanes outside.
The Ashikita Town Tourism Association reported that the estate was badly damaged in the earthquake of July 2026, and no reopening had been announced as of September 2026. The grounds cannot be entered. The neighbourhood is residential, so look around quietly.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kumamoto
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall
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Q&A
- How long is the Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall?
- It is 161 metres long and encloses the main part of the estate, excluding the rice storehouse and its vegetable plot.
- When was the Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall built?
- Around 1894, according to the national register.
- What is the Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall made of?
- It is a board fence with a tiled coping, raised higher on the front and east. On the front, plaster over a clapboard skirt runs for about 30 metres either side of the front gate.
- Why is the Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- Its continuous front forms the estate's street facade. It was registered on 18 October 2000 for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Can I see the Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall?
- Yes, from the lanes outside. The estate was damaged in the earthquake of July 2026 and had not reopened as of September 2026, so the inside cannot be entered.
Basic Information
| Name | Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 781-2 and others, Gotanda, Tanoura, Ashikita Town, Ashikita District, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2000/10/18 (Heisei 12) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 161 metres long (timber, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Not listed in the ACA database (private) |
| Public Access | Apparently closed after earthquake damage; check before visiting |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database: Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001992
- Cultural Heritage Online: Fujisaki Family Residence (Sekishokan) Wall (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/167302
- Fujisaki Family Residence Sekishokan (Ashikita Town Tourism Association, Japanese)
- https://ashikita-kankou.com/introduce/%E8%B5%A4%E6%9D%BE%E9%A4%A8/
- Notice on the Ashikita Curry Road event, 5 August 2026 (Ashikita Town Tourism Association, Japanese)
- https://ashikita-kankou.com/2026/08/05/%e3%80%8c%e8%8a%a6%e5%8c%97%e4%bc%bd%e5%93%a9%e8%a1%97%e9%81%93%e3%80%8d%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b/
Last verified: 2026.09.25
