Kawase Family Residence Earthen Wall

About the Kawase Family Residence Earthen Wall

The Kawase Family Residence Earthen Wall (河瀬家住宅土塀, Kawase-ke Jūtaku Dobei) is a late Edo earthen wall, built between 1751 and 1829, in Tamoncho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, and was entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on March 27, 2006. Capped with tiles, it runs for 58 m.

Of the five Kawase structures, this wall alone has no work recorded from the 1942 campaign, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs lists no relocation or remodeling. It is the part of the compound that carries the late Edo samurai boundary forward.

Fifty-Eight Meters, Turning a Corner

The Kawase earthen wall follows the south face of the main house from east to west, then turns north at its west end. It carries on as far as the west side of the storehouse, where it closes off the plot.

The result is an L-shaped screen of 58 m wrapping the front of the house and the west flank of the compound. The later south wall and front gate stand on the street side; this older wall sits one layer further in, guarding the main house itself.

A Tiled Coping and Steps Down the Slope

Along the top of the Kawase Family Residence Earthen Wall runs a small roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles. It keeps rain off the earth core and draws a thin line of tile along the crest of the wall.

The west edge of the site slopes, and there the wall drops in a series of steps, changing height stage by stage. That stepped run, following the ground rather than fighting it, is the feature most worth looking for.

Why the Earthen Wall Was Registered

The Kawase Family Residence Earthen Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency notes that it conveys the enclosure of a samurai residence and, together with the main house and other buildings, forms a fine historic scene.

In a quarter built for the magistrate's officers, a house that keeps its wall and buildings in their original relationship is the point.

Seeing the Kawase Earthen Wall

The Kawase earthen wall is part of a private compound that cannot be entered (checked September 2026). The stretch in front of the main house lies inside the south wall, so how much can be seen from the lane depends on where you stand. There is no official guidance on photography; if you look in from outside, keep the household's privacy in mind. Directions to the estate are on the Kawase Family Residence page.