Seventy-Eight Metres of Earthen Wall
The Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall (藤岡家住宅築地塀, Fujioka-ke Jūtaku Tsuijibei) is an earthen boundary wall of the late Edo period in Konnaicho, Gojo City, Nara Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2006. It folds around the east, south and west of the compound for a total of about 78 metres.
The wall starts at the Yakuimon Gate on the east side, runs south, follows the southern boundary and ends at the New Reception Wing on the west. A tsuiji wall is built of rammed and layered earth under a small tiled roof, and here one continuous run of it forms most of the compound’s outer edge.
The finish varies by face. The east face is rendered in pale blue-green mortar; elsewhere the inner face is finished in lime plaster and the outer face in a middle coat of earthen plaster. Near the middle of the south side is a small wicket door (Kugurido).
Setting the Scale of the House
The Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs says it gives the compound the weighty presence a large residence calls for.
The tsuiji wall began as an enclosure for temples and aristocratic residences. A village headman surrounding his house with one was stating the family’s standing to the street. The construction matters, but so does the length: 78 metres of wall tells a passer-by at a glance how big the property is.
The mortar on the east face is a later repair, most likely renewing the side that takes the most wear from the street. Mortar is a modern material, a sign that this late Edo wall has been kept up by later hands. Its soft blue-green also sets the tone of the eastern street.
Reading the Colours
In the eastern street you see the blue-green wall running south from the gate. Walk along it to the corner and look down the south side, and the finish turns to the earthen tone of the middle coat. Comparing the faces makes it plain that the wall has survived through repeated care rather than as a single original finish.
The wicket door in the middle of the south side is a small opening you would have to stoop to pass through, and a good place to judge the thickness of the wall up close.
Visiting the Tsuiji Wall
The outer face of the Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall can be seen freely from the eastern street. The plastered inner face is seen from the garden once inside the house museum. Please do not touch or lean on the wall; earthen walls damage easily.
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Q&A
- How long is the Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall?
- About 78 metres in total, folding from the Yakuimon Gate along the south side to the New Reception Wing. It dates from the late Edo period and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2006.
- Why is the east face of the Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall a different colour?
- The east face is rendered in pale blue-green mortar, while the other faces are lime-plastered inside and earth-plastered outside. Mortar is a modern material, so the street-facing east side appears to have been repaired later.
- Where can I see the Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall?
- The outer face is visible from the eastern street at any time. The inner face can be seen from the garden after entering the house museum.
- Why was the Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall registered?
- For its contribution to the historic landscape. It creates the substantial enclosure expected of a large residence.
- Where is the wicket door in the Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall?
- Near the middle of the south side. It is a small opening that you would stoop to pass through.
Basic Information
| Name | Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall (藤岡家住宅築地塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 526 Konnaicho, Gojo City, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 29-0105; criterion: contribution to the historic landscape |
| Year Designated | Registered 2006/03/02 (Heisei 18) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Earthen wall with tiled coping, total length 78 metres (folded) |
| Owner | Private (Fujioka family); managed by NPO Uchinono Yakata |
| Public Access | Outer face visible from the street; inner face seen after entering on opening days |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs — Fujioka Family Residence Tsuiji Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00005346
- Gojo City — Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in Gojo
- https://www.city.gojo.lg.jp/soshiki/kankoshinko/5_1/5/2110.html
- Nara Prefecture official tourism site (Aoniyoshi Naratabi Net) — Fujioka Family Residence
- https://yamatoji.nara-kankou.or.jp/03history/02old_house/04south_area/fujiokake/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
