What the Front Gate Is
Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate stands directly on the old Nakasendo at Imai in Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture, dates from the closing decades of the Edo period, roughly 1830 to 1867, and became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 14 October 1999.
It is a single-bay Yakuimon, 5.1 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, with a pair of plank doors at the centre and a Kugurido wicket beside them. The gabled roof carries a Teri-mukuri profile, curving gently upward at the ridge rather than sweeping up at the eaves.
The roofing material is recorded twice and not consistently. The structural column of the Agency for Cultural Affairs database says sheet iron, while the commentary on the same page says copper. The table below follows the structural column and this paragraph records the discrepancy.
Why It Was Registered
Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate was listed as contributing to the historic landscape of the country. In the former village of Imai, an intermediate stop on the Nakasendo rather than a post town, this gate still presents to the highway the standing of a household that served as a resting place for daimyo processions.
A yakuimon sets secondary posts behind the main pair and carries the ridge on both, a form associated with households of rank. The 5.1 metre opening was sized for a palanquin and the retinue that came with it.
What to Look For
Start with the outline of the roof. Instead of the upward sweep common on temple gates, the ridge rises slightly at the centre and falls away to each side. That gentler curve belongs to a domestic gate rather than a religious one.
The doors are plain, boarded vertically. The wicket at the side let one person pass while the gate stayed shut, and it took the daily traffic. The large doors swung only when there was someone to receive.
Look through the opening and the entrance of the main house sits at the end of the sightline. Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate was placed to frame that view, not to stand alone.
Visiting
Of the eleven buildings on the estate, Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate is the easiest to see, since it faces the road. From the far side of the lane the whole 5.1 metre frontage fits in view. The doors are kept shut and the gate cannot be passed.
The estate is a private residence and the grounds are closed. Photograph from the road and avoid lingering in front of the gate. The cultural properties staff of the Okaya City Board of Education can answer questions about access. (Checked in September 2026.)
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Nagano
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate
- [ Matsumoto Castle & Kamikochi Hiking Tours ]
Q&A
- Can visitors walk through Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate?
- No. The doors are kept closed and the grounds are private. The gate is viewed from the old Nakasendo road.
- What kind of gate is Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate?
- A single-bay yakuimon, 5.1 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, with central plank doors and a wicket door at the side.
- How old is Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate?
- It dates from the late Edo period, roughly 1830 to 1867.
- What is the roof of Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate made of?
- The records differ. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database gives sheet iron in its structural column and copper in the commentary on the same page.
- Why is Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 14 October 1999 as a structure contributing to the historic landscape, representing the standing of a household that served travellers on the Nakasendo.
Basic Information
| Name | Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | 1832 Imai, Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered on 1999/10/14 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber yakuimon gate, sheet-iron roof, 5.1 metre frontage, 1.5 metre depth |
| Owner | Private individual (not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior only, from the old Nakasendo road) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00001387
- Cultural Heritage Online: Imai Family Residence (Imai Okoyasumi Honjin) Front Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/114467
- Shiojiri City: The Nakasendo (1)
- https://www.city.shiojiri.lg.jp/soshiki/35/3946.html
Last verified: 2026.09.15
