The Inner Wall and Two Gates of the Main Garden
The Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate (長井家住宅（梅屋）内門、内塀及び通用門) are a garden wall and two gates of around 1931 in Higashinagashima, Kihoku-cho, Mie Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on June 24, 2021. They close the east side of the main garden south of the Main House, separating it from the forecourt.
The Inner Wall runs east from the north end of the formal rooms on the Main House's east front and then encloses the garden's east side, with the Inner Gate at its north end and a service gate at its south end. The wall is timber, 31 meters long in total, roofed in copper sheet on the north half and tile on the south half. The Inner Gate, timber with a tiled roof, has an opening of 1.5 meters; the service gate, 2.4 meters.
Why It Was Registered
The Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate were registered for contributing to the historic landscape, with the Agency for Cultural Affairs noting that they give the main garden its composed appearance.
The main garden is bounded by the Main House to the north, the South Storehouse to the south, the Connecting Corridor to the southwest and this wall to the east. Only when the corridor and wall were added around 1931 did the space between the two late Edo buildings become an enclosed garden, and the Inner Wall holds its eastern side.
What to Look For
Notice how the wall changes character halfway along. The north half has vertical boards with an open board transom (Ranma) and a copper roof; the south half has vertical boards pierced by lattice windows under pantiles. The section near the formal rooms is lighter and more refined, the section toward the storehouse plainer and more practical.
The Inner Gate raises its roof above the wall line and has double board doors, dressing it as the formal way into the garden. The service gate at the south end has sliding board doors with lattice panels for everyday use. The difference in rank between the two gates tells you how the garden was used.
Visiting
The Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate stand inside the compound and cannot be seen from outside the property. No public opening has been announced.
Viewing conditions and directions for the whole estate are on the Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) page.
Q&A
- When were the Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate built?
- Around 1931.
- What does the Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Wall enclose?
- The east side of the main garden south of the Main House, separating it from the forecourt.
- How do the two halves of the Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Wall differ?
- The north half has a board transom and a copper roof; the south half has lattice windows and a pantile roof.
- What are the dimensions of the Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate?
- The wall is 31 meters long in total, the Inner Gate opening is 1.5 meters and the service gate opening is 2.4 meters.
- Can you visit the Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate?
- No. They are inside the compound and cannot be seen from outside, and no public opening has been announced.
Basic Information
| Name | Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | 2495-3 Yobisaki, Higashinagashima, Kihoku-cho, Kitamuro-gun, Mie Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/6/24 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Inner gate: timber, tiled roof, opening 1.5 meters; inner wall: timber, copper and tile roofing, 31 meters in total length; service gate: 2.4 meters |
| Owner | Not published (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (no interior opening announced) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Nagai Family Residence (Umeya) Inner Gate, Inner Wall and Service Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013824
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Council for Cultural Affairs report on new registrations, March 19, 2021 (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/93206101_04.pdf
Last verified: 2026.09.26
