What the Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate is
The Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate (旧杉本家住宅長屋門, Kyū Sugimoto-ke Jūtaku Nagayamon) is a Nagayamon, a gatehouse combining a gateway and rooms under one roof, built in the early Meiji period (1868–1882) in Hattaino, Hakusan-cho, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture. It was moved here from nearby around 1879 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on November 17, 2015.
It is a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 23 square meters. It stands on the south edge of the plot, toward the east, and forms the entrance to the compound. It was renovated in 2011.
Why the Sugimoto nagayamon gate was registered
The Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs cites it as a gate brought from nearby in the Meiji period to complete the residence, and as evidence of how the layout of such compounds changed in the modern era.
Going by the Agency's dates, this gate was the first of the four buildings to be set on the site. The gate came first, followed by the detached room, the relocation of the main house and finally the long house.
An off-center gateway and two kinds of board cladding
The Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate has its gateway, 2.3 meters wide, toward the west end, while the east part is a room with a board floor. Gate and room under one roof is the standard nagayamon arrangement, and passing through the gateway brings you into the front yard.
The outer walls are clad differently on different faces. The front uses vertical boarding. The sides use sasarako clapboarding: overlapping horizontal boards held by vertical battens notched to fit each overlap. Vertical board lines on the face the public sees give way, around the corner, to the stepped shadows of the clapboards, and the contrast is easiest to read by comparing the front with a side.
Seeing the Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate
The Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate is privately owned, and no public opening or access through the gate has been announced.
Standing on the south edge of the plot, the gate is probably the easiest of the four buildings to see from outside, though the view from the road in front has not been confirmed. Please do not walk through the gate or linger in front of it. Directions are on the Former Sugimoto Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- Can I visit the Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate?
- No public opening of the Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate has been announced. It is privately owned, so please view it from outside and do not go through the gate.
- When was the Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate built?
- It dates from the early Meiji period (1868–1882) and was moved here from nearby around 1879. It was renovated in 2011.
- How wide is the gateway of the Sugimoto nagayamon gate in Tsu?
- The gateway, toward the west end, is 2.3 meters wide. The east part is a room with a board floor.
- How are the walls of the Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate clad?
- The front has vertical boarding, and the sides have sasarako clapboarding held by notched vertical battens.
- Why is the Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on November 17, 2015, as a building that contributes to the historic landscape. It was moved from nearby in the Meiji period to complete the residence and shows how such compounds changed in the modern era.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | 1000 Hattaino, Hakusan-cho, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered November 17, 2015 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 23 m², gateway width 2.3 m |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | No public opening announced |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010818
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Sugimoto Family Residence Nagayamon Gate (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/280573
- Mie Prefecture: Summary of buildings in Mie recommended for registration as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese, PDF)
- https://www.pref.mie.lg.jp/common/content/000371905.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.16
