The Guests' Entrance on the Street
The Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall (新麹屋柏原家住宅門及び塀, Shinkōjiya Kashiwabara-ke Jūtaku Mon oyobi Hei) is a Taishō-era (1912 to 1926) gateway and flanking wall at the western end of the south front of the Kashiwabara merchant house in Ogawa, Ogawa-machi, Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 February 2016.
The gate is a one-bay Yakuimon 2.0 metres wide; the wall runs out to either side of it for a total length of 12 metres. Both are of timber with tiled roofs.
Why It Was Registered: A Front Built for Receiving Guests
The Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a neatly proportioned gate and wall, and reads it as evidence that the main house was being equipped more and more for receiving visitors.
The eastern half of the main house has an earthen passage running from the street to the back, while the reception wing added later has an entrance of its own. The gate opens directly in front of that entrance. On the street, it marks the way in for guests, distinct from the working side of the house.
What to Look For: The Gate Frame and a Washed-Stone Base
The gate is roofed in the Kirizuma-zukuri gabled manner with Sangawara-buki pantiles. Between its two main posts hang plank doors that open inward. A yakuimon stands on four posts: the two main posts at the front and a pair of shorter supporting posts behind them that share the load of the roof.
Look closely at the foot of the wall. Its base is finished in jinzōseki arai-dashi, a kind of artificial stone: cement mixed with small stone chips is applied, and before it sets hard the surface is washed so that the chips stand out. It reads like masonry but is really plasterers' work.
Above the base rises a Shinkabe wall, with the timber posts left visible and Shikkui lime plaster between them. The top of the wall is left open as a pierced Ranma band, so a little of what lies beyond shows through, and the pantile coping matches the gate roof.
Viewing the Gate and Wall
The Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall stands on the old Satsuma Kaidō, so it can be seen in full from the street, including the washed-stone base and the open band at the top of the wall.
Beyond the gate is a private home. Unless the owners have agreed to a visit in advance, please do not pass through it. When you stop to look, keep clear of passing traffic and of the entrance itself.
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Q&A
- How old is the Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- It dates from the Taishō era (1912 to 1926) and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 February 2016.
- What type of gate is the Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- A one-bay yakuimon 2.0 metres wide, with a gabled pantile roof and plank doors between the main posts that open inward.
- How is the wall of the Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall built?
- It has a washed artificial-stone base, a lime-plastered wall with exposed posts, an open band at the top and a pantile roof. It is 12 metres long in total.
- Why was the Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall registered?
- For its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs values its neat design and what it shows about the main house's growing role in receiving guests.
- Can I see the Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- Yes, from the old Satsuma Kaidō. The grounds behind it are private, so entering requires contacting the owners in advance.
Basic Information
| Name | Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence Gate and Wall (新麹屋柏原家住宅門及び塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 58 Kamikarigaya, Ogawa, Ogawa-machi, Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2016/2/25 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Gate: timber, tiled roof, 2.0 metres wide; Wall: timber, tiled roof, 12 metres in total length |
| Owner | Private individual |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street (entry to the grounds by prior arrangement) |
References
- 新麹屋柏原家住宅門及び塀 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011015
- 新麹屋柏原家住宅門及び塀 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/254605
- 新麹屋柏原家住宅主屋 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011013
- Shinkojiya Kashiwabara Family Residence: main house, annex, gate and wall, courtyard wall (Uki City)
- https://www.city.uki.kumamoto.jp/kankobunka/bunka/bunkazai/shitei/2264622
Last verified: 2026.09.28
