The Street Front of Eirakukan
The Eirakukan Gate and Wall (栄楽館門及び塀, Eirakukan Mon oyobi Hei) enclose the north edge of Eirakukan, a former ryotei restaurant in Ueno Aioicho, Iga City, Mie Prefecture; built in 1873, they were registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 25, 2014. The gate is a timber structure with a tiled roof and an opening 1.8 meters wide, and the earthen wall, also tiled, runs 14 meters in total.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the wall marks off the north side of the lot along the street, and the gate opens toward its west end. The East Building, South Building and storehouse all sit behind it. Of the four registered structures, the Eirakukan Gate and Wall are the only ones that show themselves to the street, so they have always done the work of presenting the restaurant to passers-by.
Registration and the Stone Base of the Eirakukan Gate and Wall
The Eirakukan Gate and Wall carry registration number 24-0176 and were listed as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country, on the same day as the other three Eirakukan structures. The database gives only the 1873 date for them; unlike the other three, no 1994 renovation is recorded.
The base of the wall is a course of large stones stacked to about waist height. The national description says these stones are traditionally held to have come from the stone ramparts of Ueno Castle, and it stops short of stating that as fact. Fist-sized natural stones are set into the face around the large blocks, and above them rises a tiled wall built in Shinkabe style, with its timber posts left visible in the plaster.
What to Look For at the Eirakukan Gate and Wall
Start low, with the stones. The big blocks and the small rounded stones scattered across their face make a surface that looks neither like a castle rampart nor like the plain footing of a town house.
Then look up. Along the top of the wall runs ornament shaped like clouds, which the national description calls light and playful. Heavy stone below, airy cloud shapes above: that contrast is the main pleasure of the Eirakukan Gate and Wall.
The gate itself is modest, 1.8 meters wide against a wall 14 meters long, and it sits off to one side. It reads less like a grand welcome than a discreet entrance that keeps the rooms and garden behind it out of view.
Seeing the Eirakukan Gate and Wall
Because the Eirakukan Gate and Wall face the street, you can see them without a hotel booking or a restaurant reservation. They are the one part of the registered group that anyone can look at.
Inside the gate is the KANMURI wing of NIPPONIA HOTEL Iga Ueno Jokamachi, reserved for hotel guests and restaurant diners. If you stop to study the stonework or take photos, stay clear of the gateway and leave room for people on the street. Directions and restaurant hours are on the Eirakukan page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Mie
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Eirakukan Gate and Wall
- [ Ise Grand Shrine & Shima Bay Cruise Tours ]
Q&A
- When were the Eirakukan Gate and Wall built and registered?
- The national database dates them to 1873. They were registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 25, 2014, under number 24-0176.
- How large are the Eirakukan Gate and Wall?
- The timber gate has an opening 1.8 meters wide, and the tiled earthen wall is 14 meters long in total. The wall stands on a base of large stones stacked to about waist height.
- Did the stones of the Eirakukan Gate and Wall come from Ueno Castle?
- That is the tradition. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the large base stones as said to be rampart stones from Ueno Castle, but it presents this as a tradition rather than a confirmed fact.
- What details should I look for at the Eirakukan Gate and Wall?
- Look at the base, where fist-sized stones are set into the face of large blocks, and at the cloud-shaped ornament along the top of the wall.
- Can I visit the Eirakukan Gate and Wall freely?
- You can view the exterior from the street at any time. Inside the gate is hotel property for guests and restaurant diners.
Basic Information
| Name | Eirakukan Gate and Wall (栄楽館門及び塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2842 Ueno Aioicho, Iga City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered April 25, 2014 |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Gate: timber, tiled roof, 1.8 meters wide / Wall: earthen, tiled roof, 14 meters in total length |
| Owner | Iga City |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street; inside the gate is hotel property |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Eirakukan Gate and Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009986
- Iga City: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.iga.lg.jp/cmsfiles/contents/0000003/3870/kunitouroku.pdf
- NIPPONIA HOTEL Iga Ueno Jokamachi official site: KANMURI
- https://www.kazenoheritage.jp/hotels/iga-ueno/rooms/kanmuri/
Last verified: 2026.10.10
