A corner wall that matches the shopfront
The Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall (古梅園東北土塀, Kōbaien Tōhoku Dobei) in Tsubaicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, is the roofed earthen wall linking the shop and main house at the northeast corner at Kobaien, the sumi ink maker founded in 1577; it was built early in the Taishō era (1912 to 1925) and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 1998/01/16 (number 29-0027). The Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall is a roofed earthen wall at the northeast corner of the property. It rises as a tall wall and turns the corner at a right angle, linking the shop and the main house and closing off the corner of the plot on the street.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the early Taishō era: timber framed, tiled, 17.0 metres long.
Posts at every bay and a neat gateway
Posts are set at intervals of one bay, with board panels along the base, a carefully made wall. On the east face is an elegant small gateway.
Because it faces the street, the Agency says, it was designed to sit well with the merchant frontage and the townscape. Seen together with the black-plastered shop and the lattice-fronted office, the Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall clearly completes the north end of the street front.
Seeing it
The Kobaien property is a private home and a working factory and cannot be entered, but the Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall faces the street on the east and can be seen from outside. Walk to the corner north of the shop to see the whole wall and the gateway on its east face.
Shop hours, how to book a factory visit and directions from the station are on the Kobaien page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall?
- At the northeast corner of the property, linking the shop and the main house at a right angle.
- How long is the Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall?
- 17.0 metres.
- What are the features of the Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall?
- Posts at every bay, board panels along the base and a neat gateway on the east face.
- Can visitors see the Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall?
- The grounds are not open, but it can be seen from the street on the east.
- When was the Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall registered as a cultural property?
- On 1998/01/16, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 29-0027.
Basic Information
| Name | Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall (古梅園東北土塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 7 Tsubakiicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 29-0027 |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/01/16 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber framed, tiled coping; 17.0 metres long |
| Owner | Kobaien Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Grounds not open; visible from the street on the east |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000475
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kobaien Northeast Earthen Wall
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/147085
- Kobaien Co., Ltd. — Company profile and opening hours
- https://kobaien.jp/profile.html
Last verified: 2026.10.02
