A Gate on the Northern Road
The Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear 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）裏門 (uramon, the rear gate). It stands on the road along the north side of the plot, pulled back slightly from the carriageway. The gate is a yakuimon of one bay with a gabled, pantiled roof and a frontage of 2.1 metres. Roofed board fences extend from both sides and are included in the listing.
Small, but Still Samurai
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate as modest in size yet, like the front gate, a gate in the samurai-house manner. Using the same formal type at the back of the property as at the front suggests a household that wanted the whole estate to read as a warrior residence.
It was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape: with its fences it gives the north side of the compound a finished edge. The front gate takes care of the western road and the rear gate of the northern one, so the estate presents a face to each.
Three Gates, Three Sizes
All three Yano gates are yakuimon of 1870. Their frontages step down: 2.7 metres for the front gate, 2.1 metres for the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate, 1.8 metres for the middle gate.
The fences attached to each are worth noticing. The front gate has roofed earthen walls, the middle gate a roofed bamboo fence, and the rear gate roofed boards. Where the gate stands, front, inner path or north side, decides how its fence is dressed.
Visiting the Rear Gate
The Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate faces the northern road, and the gate and its board fences can be seen from the public way. The ground inside is private and cannot be entered.
Because the front gate faces a different road, seeing both means going round to each. Stand at the roadside out of the way of traffic, and keep photography to exterior shots from the road.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kumamoto
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate
- [ Kumamoto Castle & Mt. Aso Volcano Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate built?
- In 1870, the same year as the front and middle gates.
- What type of gate is the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate?
- A yakuimon gate of one bay with a gabled, pantiled roof and a frontage of 2.1 metres. Roofed board fences join it on both sides.
- Why is the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- Though small, it shares the samurai-house styling of the front gate, and with its fences it finishes the north side of the compound. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape on 7 June 1999.
- Can I see the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate from the road?
- Yes. It faces the road on the north side of the plot, and the gate and fences are visible from the public way. The ground inside is private.
- How does the Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate differ from the front gate?
- Both are yakuimon of the same year, but the rear gate has a frontage of 2.1 metres against 2.7 metres for the front gate. The front gate has earthen walls; the rear gate has board fences.
Basic Information
| Name | Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear 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 2.1 metres (timber yakuimon gate, tiled roof, with attached board fence) |
| Owner | Not listed in the ACA database (a Yano family home) |
| Public Access | Private home, not open to the public; exterior visible from the road |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database: Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001155
- Cultural Heritage Online: Yano Family Residence (Hontaku) Rear Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/147765
Last verified: 2026.09.24
