A Low Stone Wall Built to Frame a Memorial Garden
The Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall (野﨑武左衛門翁旌徳碑石垣, Nozaki Buzaemon-ō Shōtoku-hi Ishigaki) is a 128-meter granite retaining wall built in 1894 in Kojima Ajino, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2004. It wraps the east and north sides of the small garden that holds the Nozaki obelisk.
That obelisk honors Nozaki Buzaemon (1789 to 1864), the salt producer whose tidal salt fields earned him the local title of "salt field king." His grandson Nozaki Bukichirō, a member of the House of Peers, led the project in 1894, and the wall was laid as part of the same scheme. The plot covers roughly 1,000 square meters and lies about 400 meters southwest of the old Nozaki family residence.
The wall is only 1.1 meters high. What it lacks in height it makes up in length, turning the corners of the site as it runs for 128 meters along the street.
Why the Stone Wall Was Registered
The Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall was registered under the criterion of "contributing to the historic landscape of the nation." In plain terms, it is the part of the memorial that the town sees every day: the edge where a Meiji-era garden meets the streets of Ajino.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out how the masons changed technique along its length. At the corners of the front and side faces they used kikkō-zumi, tortoise-shell masonry in which each stone face is dressed to a roughly hexagonal outline so the joints form a honeycomb net. The long runs between them are Tanizumi, where stones are set on the diagonal and each course nests into the valleys of the one below.
Tortoise-shell work is slow and expensive, so reserving it for the corners gives a long, low Ishigaki something like a picture frame. The agency describes the aim simply as adding variety to the wall's appearance.
There is one more detail on the front. Four small stones with a trapezoidal profile in section are set at the two ends and the center of the street face, a symmetrical arrangement that breaks up the long line of masonry.
What to Look for Along the Wall
Start at a corner of the Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall. The tortoise-shell section is easy to spot: the stone faces are cut to many-sided shapes and fit tightly, with the joints running like a net. Walk a few paces and the pattern changes to diagonal valley coursing. Finding the exact point where one technique hands over to the other is the most rewarding part of the visit.
On the front face, look for the four trapezoidal stones. Step back far enough to see both ends and the center at once, and the balanced layout of the street front becomes clear.
Then notice what the wall does not do. At 1.1 meters it hides almost nothing. From the pavement you can look straight over it into the garden and up the 18-meter obelisk. A tall enclosure would have walled the memorial off from the town; this one marks the boundary while keeping the monument on display.
Walking the Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall
The Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall forms the outer edge of the site, so you can follow its full length from the streets on the east and north sides without entering the garden and without paying anything. The masonry is in fact best read from the street side.
Start at a front corner, find the point where tortoise-shell work gives way to valley coursing, pass the trapezoidal stone at the center, and carry on to the far corner. The wall lines a residential street, so step aside for cars and pedestrians while you look. No photography restrictions are posted.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall
- [ Kurashiki Bikan District & Korakuen Garden Tours ]
Q&A
- How long is the Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall?
- It runs 128 meters, turning the corners of the site, and stands 1.1 meters high along the east and north sides of the memorial garden.
- What masonry techniques does the Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall use?
- Tortoise-shell masonry (kikkō-zumi) at the corners of the front and side, and diagonal valley coursing (tanizumi) on the remaining stretches.
- When was the Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall built and registered?
- It was built in 1894 together with the obelisk and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2004, at the same time as the obelisk, bridge and gateposts.
- Can I see the Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall for free?
- Yes. The wall faces the public street and can be viewed from outside at no cost. Ask the owner about entering the garden.
- Can I see the Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall without entering the garden?
- Yes. The wall runs along the outside of the east and north sides, so you can walk its full length on the street, which is also the best side for reading the masonry.
Basic Information
| Name | Nozaki Buzaemon Shotoku Monument Stone Wall (野﨑武左衛門翁旌徳碑石垣) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-2129-2 Kojima Ajino, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2004 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 site |
| Dimensions | Stone; length 128 meters; height 1.1 meters |
| Owner | Ryuo Kaikan Foundation (now a public interest incorporated foundation) |
| Public Access | Visible from the public road; conditions for entering the grounds not published |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nozaki Buzaemon-ō Shōtoku-hi Ishigaki
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004182
- Cultural Heritage Online: Nozaki Buzaemon-ō Shōtoku-hi Ishigaki
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/169492
- Kurashiki City: Nozaki Buzaemon-ō Shōtoku-hi and related structures
- https://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp/culture/art/1007596/1007597/1011206/1007792/1007801.html
- Nozaki Family Salt Industry Museum: History
- https://www.nozakike.or.jp/history
Last verified: 2026.09.25
