What Is the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall?
The Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall (見世土井家住宅正門及び塀, Misedoi-ke Jūtaku Seimon oyobi Hei) is the reinforced-concrete gate and boundary wall of the Misedoi estate in Asahi-cho, Owase City, Mie Prefecture, built in the early Shōwa period (1926 to 1945) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 4 August 2015. The gate opening is 2.9 metres wide and the wall runs for 126 metres in total.
The gate opens toward the old Kumano road near the southern end of the estate's east side. The wall wraps the east and south sides, the southern part of the west side and the eastern part of the north side, enclosing the front of the property.
Together with the north service gate, it is one of the few registered structures anyone can see from outside the grounds.
Extending the House's Modern Face to the Street
The Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape: for 126 metres it draws the outline of an early Shōwa estate along the old road.
What makes it distinctive is the finish. The wall is rendered in the same coloured, rough-textured mortar as the Western-style part of the main house. Just as the house put its Western entrance and reception room at the east end, the roadside wall carries that modern texture outward, so the estate's public face extends all the way to the street.
The gateposts and the lower part of the wall around the gate are faced with Scratch tile, tiles combed with fine vertical grooves that were popular in Japanese buildings of the 1920s and 1930s. The change of material marks the entrance within the long run of wall.
Choosing reinforced concrete over a traditional timber gate reflects the same appetite for the new that shaped the 1931 main house.
What to Look For
Get close to the gateposts. The grooved surface of the scratch tile catches light in fine lines and contrasts clearly with the plain mortar beside it.
Look, too, at the rough texture of the rendered wall. Knowing that the Western wing of the house wears the same finish gives you a way to picture the building hidden behind it.
The east side of the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall follows the old Kumano road; walk its length to see how the gate sits within it. Round the corner to the northern side street and you meet the Taishō-era timber service gate, a pointed contrast.
Visiting the Main Gate and Wall
The exterior of the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall can be seen from the street along the old Kumano road, free of charge and at any time.
Going through the gate to look at the cultural properties is, as a rule, not permitted (checked 17 September 2026). Please do not open the gate or aim a camera through it into the grounds, and stand where you will not block traffic on this residential street.
Directions from the nearest station are on the Misedoi Family Residence page.
Q&A
- Can I see the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall from outside?
- Yes. The gate and wall on the east side face the old Kumano road and are visible from the street. Entering the grounds just to see the cultural properties is not permitted as a rule (checked 17 September 2026).
- What is the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall made of?
- Both gate and wall are reinforced concrete. The gate is 2.9 metres wide and the wall is 126 metres long in total.
- How is the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall finished?
- The wall has the same coloured, rough-textured mortar as the Western part of the main house, and the gateposts and the lower wall near the gate are faced with scratch tile.
- When was the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall built?
- In the early Shōwa period, between 1926 and 1945.
- Which sides of the estate does the Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall enclose?
- The east and south sides, the southern part of the west side and the eastern part of the north side. The gate is near the southern end of the east side.
Basic Information
| Name | Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall (見世土井家住宅正門及び塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 72 Asahi-cho and other lots, Owase City, Mie Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), register no. 24-0214 |
| Year Designated | Registered 4 August 2015 |
| Quantity | 1 set |
| Dimensions | Gate: reinforced concrete, opening 2.9 metres / Wall: reinforced concrete, total length 126 metres |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street. The estate does not admit sightseers as a rule. |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010623
- Cultural Heritage Online: Misedoi Family Residence Main Gate and Wall (in Japanese)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/213287
- Owase City: Misedoi Family Residence Main House and Eight Other Structures (in Japanese)
- https://www.city.owase.lg.jp/0000013066.html
- Owase City: Summary of the Nine Registered Structures (PDF, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.owase.lg.jp/cmsfiles/contents/0000013/13066/doimisegaiyou.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.17
