What Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall Is
Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall is an earthen wall of 1896 in Kojima Ajino, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, entered on the national register of tangible cultural properties in 2000. It begins at the south end of the rickshaw shed and runs 76 metres along the eastern edge of the grounds beside the Oda River.
Toward the south the wall is pierced by the east gate, a single-bay yakuimon roofed in formal tiling. Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall is therefore not only an enclosure but a way in and out between the garden and the riverside lane.
The ridge stands about 2.4 metres high. The wall rises from a granite footing 80 centimetres wide, its lower band finished in exposed aggregate, and is capped with pantiles.
Why It Is Registered
Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall was registered in 2000 with the number 33-0042, under the criterion of contribution to the historic landscape of the nation, as a structure within the Taikado group.
The listing rests on the fact that the boundary between estate and river is held as one continuous line for 76 metres. A wall is not a building, but to anyone walking outside it is the estate. Putting the face the town could see in good order was itself a statement of standing.
The specification goes beyond what a partition needs: a granite footing 80 centimetres wide carried the whole length, and an exposed-aggregate finish on the lower band. A long structure is held together by consistency of material and finish.
What to Look For
Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall can be followed end to end from outside the grounds. Walking the riverside lane north or south, the granite footing reads as a level band between the ground and the wall.
Come close to the exposed-aggregate band as well. Its surface, with the stone showing through, feels quite unlike the plaster and tile above. Changing material for the lower half is what makes the wall shed splashing rain.
The east gate near the south end is a yakuimon with rear support posts. Its formally tiled roof rises a step above the pantiles of the wall, the single change of rhythm along the whole length.
Visiting
Because Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall is the boundary itself, it can be seen freely from outside on any day. Of everything on the Taikado estate, this is the easiest structure to visit.
The lane along the Oda River is in daily use, so stand where you are not blocking it. The gate is normally shut and cannot be used to enter. Photography from the public road is unrestricted. Directions and the current opening dates are on the Nozaki Family Villa Taikado page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall
- [ Kurashiki Bikan District & Korakuen Garden Tours ]
Q&A
- How long is Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall?
- 76 metres. It runs from the south end of the rickshaw shed along the eastern edge of the grounds beside the Oda River.
- Is there a gate in Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall?
- Yes, the east gate stands toward the south end, a single-bay yakuimon with a formally tiled roof.
- How is Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall built?
- As an earthen wall on a granite footing 80 centimetres wide, about 2.4 metres to the ridge, capped with pantiles.
- Can Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall be seen outside opening days?
- Yes. It forms the boundary of the estate and can be viewed from the lane along the Oda River at any time.
- What is the registration number of Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall?
- 33-0042. It was entered on the register of tangible cultural properties on 28 April 2000.
Basic Information
| Name | Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-8-34 Kojima Ajino, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | Registered 2000 (Heisei 12) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Length 76 m, ridge about 2.4 m high |
| Owner | Naikai Salt Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Normally closed; opened during the Kojima Hinameguri festival |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database: Nozaki Family Villa Taikado East Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001640
- Nozaki Family Villa Taikado, Main House and Twelve Other Structures (Kurashiki City)
- https://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp/culture/art/1007596/1007597/1011206/1007792/1007796.html
- Kojima Hinameguri (Kurashiki City, Kojima Branch Office)
- https://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp/culture/tourism/1001881/1011764/1008061/1011533.html
Last verified: 2026.09.13
