What Is the Omori Family Residence West Wall?
The Omori Family Residence West Wall (大森家住宅西塀, Ōmori-ke Jūtaku Nishibei) is a roofed timber wall enclosing the west side of the Omori merchant compound in Yamaga, Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture, built around 1940 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 27 March 2018. It is 10 meters long, has a tiled roof, and opens in a service gate at its south end.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the Omori Family Residence West Wall to around 1940 but gives 1941 in its Western-calendar field. A 2024 guide to Yamaga's cultural properties by the city Board of Education treats it as built at about the same time as the north wall.
A Side Gate at the Corner
The Omori Family Residence West Wall follows the western boundary from north to south and turns a right angle at its southern end. In that return sits a service gate closed by a plank door, a side way in and out of the compound, separate from the formal front on the street.
The wall stands on a base of cut stone. Its outer face is Ōkabe, thick plaster that buries the posts, with the eaves finished in the stepped plaster cornice called Nokijabara. Yamaga City notes that this outer finish matches the north wall.
Stone Buttresses on the Garden Side
The inner face is what sets the Omori Family Residence West Wall apart. It is Shinkabe, with the posts left exposed, and according to Yamaga City the wall panels are plastered. Every 2 ken a stone Hikaebashira buttress post braces the wall from inside. Taking 1 ken as about 1.8 meters, the stone posts come roughly every 3.6 meters.
Along the top, Udeki arms cantilevered from the posts, each supported by a carved Mochiokuri bracket, carry the eave beam. The carpentry is the same as on the north wall, but the stone posts give the garden side a heavier, steadier rhythm. The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the Omori Family Residence West Wall with adding character to the view from the garden.
The Omori Family Residence West Wall is registration number 43-173, listed for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Visiting
The inner face for which the Omori Family Residence West Wall was praised faces the garden of a private home and is not open to the public. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database has a photograph showing the stone buttress posts.
The Omori Family Residence West Wall runs back into the lot from beyond the western end of the house and north wall on the old Kikuchi Ōkan. If you look from outside, please stay off the property and do not approach the service gate or photograph through it.
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Q&A
- When was the Omori Family Residence West Wall built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to around 1940, though its Western-calendar field reads 1941. It is thought to be contemporary with the north wall.
- How long is the Omori Family Residence West Wall?
- It is 10 meters long and turns a right angle at its south end, where a plank-doored service gate opens.
- What should I look for on the Omori Family Residence West Wall?
- The garden side: exposed posts, stone buttress posts every 2 ken, and carved brackets under the timber arms that carry the eaves.
- When was the Omori Family Residence West Wall registered as a cultural property?
- On 27 March 2018, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 43-173.
- Can I visit the Omori Family Residence West Wall?
- Its notable inner face overlooks a private garden and is not open to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Omori Family Residence West Wall (大森家住宅西塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 47 Yamaga and other lots, Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), Registration No. 43-173 |
| Year Designated | Registered 27 March 2018 |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, 10 meters long, with service gate |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 大森家住宅西塀 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012261
- Cultural Heritage Online: 大森家住宅西塀 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/417382
- List of Designated Cultural Properties in Yamaga City (Yamaga City)
- https://www.city.yamaga.kumamoto.jp/kiji00396/3_96_11829_up_ktyrydo6.pdf
- Cultural Properties of Yamaga City, 2nd edition: National Registered Properties (Yamaga City Board of Education, 2024)
- https://www.city.yamaga.kumamoto.jp/kiji00396/3_96_6211_up_k8vdnbh3.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.28
