A Small Gate in a Bamboo Fence
The Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate, in the Kawara district of Nishihara Village, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture, is a timber gate built in 1870 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 7 June 1999.
In Japanese it is 矢野家住宅（本宅）中門 (chūmon, the middle gate). A roofed bamboo fence links the main house to the front gate, and this gate opens partway along it. It is a yakuimon of one bay with a gabled, pantiled roof and a frontage of 1.8 metres, the smallest and plainest of the three listed gates. The bamboo fence is included in the listing.
A Working Gate on a Formal Path
The Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate gave access to the fields that spread south of the plot. The front gate is the formal way to the entrance of the main house; this one was for going out to work the land.
It was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs values it, together with its fence, for the way it frames the path between the front gate and the main house. The recognition is not for the gate as an object of rank but for its part in shaping the approach inside the compound.
Set It Beside the Front Gate
Both gates date from 1870 and both are yakuimon, which makes the contrast useful. The front gate has a frontage of 2.7 metres and heavy samurai-style posts; the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate measures 1.8 metres and is kept deliberately simple.
The fences differ too. The front gate is flanked by roofed earthen walls, while the middle gate sits in a roofed bamboo fence. The household matched materials to purpose: earth and plaster where guests arrived, bamboo along the inner path.
Visiting the Middle Gate
The Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate stands inside the compound, between the front gate and the main house. The ground around it is private and cannot be approached.
It has not been confirmed that the gate can be seen from the road in front of the front gate. Assume that a visit is limited to what the public road allows, and keep photography to the road as well.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kumamoto
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate
- [ Kumamoto Castle & Mt. Aso Volcano Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate built?
- In 1870, the same year as the front and rear gates.
- What was the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate used for?
- It gave access to the fields south of the plot. It opens partway along the roofed bamboo fence that joins the main house and the front gate.
- What type of gate is the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate?
- A yakuimon gate of one bay with a gabled, pantiled roof and a frontage of 1.8 metres, the smallest and plainest of the three Yano gates.
- Why is the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- With its bamboo fence it shapes the view along the path between the front gate and the main house. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape on 7 June 1999.
- Can I visit the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate?
- No. It stands inside a private home's grounds and cannot be approached. The Yano Family Residence is not open to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | 2524 Kawara, Nishihara Village, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1999/06/07 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Frontage 1.8 metres (timber yakuimon gate, tiled roof, with attached bamboo fence) |
| Owner | Not listed in the ACA database (a Yano family home) |
| Public Access | Private home, not open to the public |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database: Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001156
- Cultural Heritage Online: Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Middle Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/177376
Last verified: 2026.09.24
