What the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall is
The Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall (内野家住宅門及び塀, Uchino-ke Jūtaku Mon oyobi Hei) is a pair of gateposts and a roadside wall in the former samurai quarter of Iwanoue-chō, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture, dating from the late Edo period and remodelled around 1926, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
It lines the north-south street that runs along the east side of the plot. The gate is a pair of concrete posts standing in line with the main house entrance, at the top of ten stone steps up from the road. The opening is 2.3 m wide and the posts are 1.6 m high. There is no roof over them; the posts alone mark the way in.
The wall sits on the stone retaining wall beside the road and runs for 43 m. Its lower part is stonework, the upper part a Dobei earthen wall finished in white Shikkui lime plaster, and a small roof of Sangawara-buki tiles caps the top.
Why the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall was registered
The Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, together with the steps in front of it, it preserves the street frontage of a samurai residence.
In old Hirado, the outer face of each samurai house shaped the look of the street. A plastered wall rising from a stone base, broken by steps and a gate, was how a household presented itself to passers-by, and the Uchino Gate and Wall holds that face for 43 m.
Two periods overlap in it. The agency dates it to the late Edo period with a remodelling around 1926, and lists the gate as concrete and the wall as stone with earthen walling. The Edo stonework and plastered wall were kept, while the gate appears to have been rebuilt in a new material at the same time the main house was built.
What to look for at the Uchino gate and wall
Look near the tops of the gateposts. On three faces of each post, four circles are stacked in a vertical line. A geometric touch on a concrete post like this feels very much of the 1920s, when the gate was rebuilt.
Step across the street to take in the wall. From there the 43 m length and its three bands read clearly: stone at the base, white plaster above, a thin line of roof tiles on top, with the steps and gateposts breaking the run.
The Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall faces east, so the morning sun falls straight on it and the white plaster looks brightest before noon. In the afternoon it tends to be backlit.
Visiting the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall
Because the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall stands on the street, you can see the exterior at any time. Beyond the gateposts, though, is a private home, and visitors may not pass through. Please view the gate from the road without climbing the steps.
Keep photographs to the exterior from the street. This is a residential road, so watch for cars and pedestrians when you stop. Background on the garden openings and directions are on the Uchino Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- How old is the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period, with a remodelling around 1926. The gateposts are concrete; the wall is stonework topped by a plastered earthen wall.
- Where can I see the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- From the north-south street on the east side of the property. For the full length of the wall, stand on the opposite side of the street.
- How large is the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- The gate opening is 2.3 m wide with posts 1.6 m high, and the wall runs 43 m along the road.
- Can I walk through the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- No. The gate leads into a private home, and neither the house nor the garden is normally open to the public.
- Why is the Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2005 for its contribution to the historic landscape, as part of the street frontage of a Hirado samurai residence.
Basic Information
| Name | Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall (内野家住宅門及び塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1165-1 Iwanoue-chō, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005-02-09 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 site |
| Dimensions | Gate: opening 2.3 m, height 1.6 m; wall: length 43 m |
| Owner | Private (no owner name in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the road only (inside the gate is private) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004678
- Cultural Heritage Online: Uchino Family Residence Gate and Wall
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/140448
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Buildings)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/toroku_yukei.html
Last verified: 2026.10.06
