Nishiyama Family Residence High Wall

What Is the Nishiyama Family Residence High Wall?

The Nishiyama Family Residence High Wall (西山家住宅高塀, Nishiyama-ke Jūtaku Takabei) is a wooden boundary wall of the early Taishō era (1912 to 1925) enclosing the east side of the Nishiyama Family Residence in Okamachiminami, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2007.

It is 49 meters long and roofed with tiles. Starting at the southeast corner of the plot, near the waiting arbor, it runs straight north along the eastern boundary, then turns at a right angle at the northeast corner to meet the main gate and wall on the north side. Its registration number is 27-0436; the national record classes it as a structure rather than a building and counts it as one item.

The government database gives its date only as early Taishō. Toyonaka City says it was built in 1912 at the same time as the main house.

Why the High Wall Was Registered

The Nishiyama Family Residence High Wall was registered on December 5, 2007, together with the detached wing and waiting arbor, the Western-style building and the corridor, under the criterion for structures that contribute to the historic landscape of the nation. It was among the first four Registered Tangible Cultural Properties at the site.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the wall with giving the street a calm, historic character. Toyonaka City goes further: the wall came through the Muroto Typhoon of 1934 and the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995, and its single, consistent design keeps the memory of the old suburb alive. Nearly 50 meters of the same boarding and tiles, without a break, sets the tone of the whole street.

What to Look For at the High Wall

Timber on a concrete base

The Nishiyama Family Residence High Wall is a Shinkabe wall with its posts left exposed, standing on a concrete foundation. Its tall lower section is boarded with Yakisugi in the overlapping yamato pattern, and the top is capped with straight-edged ichimonji tiles. Toyonaka City's preservation plan puts its height at about 3 meters and notes concrete buttress posts on the inside. The pairing of a timber wall with concrete footings and buttresses is worth a second look, although the sources do not say when the concrete work was done.

The footing stones along this east wall are a soft stone, whereas the north wall partly uses granite. The two walls look the same at a glance, but they have clearly been repaired on different occasions.

The backdrop to the garden

From inside, the Nishiyama Family Residence High Wall becomes the back wall of the garden. The preservation plan records about ten evergreen oaks planted along it on the eastern mound, with black pines near the wall in the inner and front gardens. Looking across Mirei Shigemori's 1940 garden from the main house or the detached wing, it is this line of wall and greenery that closes the view.

Later openings

Several openings were cut into the wall over the years. Along the main garden to the south there is a wooden door to the outside, and at the southeast corner a roller shutter leads to the entrance of the detached wing. The shutter was installed for step-free access in the time of Toshiyuki, Ushinosuke Nishiyama's son; before that there was a wooden door. It now serves as the service entrance.

Visiting the High Wall

The Nishiyama Family Residence High Wall lines the east side of the plot and can be seen from the road there. In 2026 it was under repair together with the main house, and Toyonaka City held a tour of the work in July. Conditions on site may change while repairs continue, so follow any notices posted (checked October 2, 2026).

Stand at the northeast corner to see the north and east walls meet at a right angle, then walk south to get a sense of the full 49 meters. Seeing the wall from inside, across the garden, is possible only during city events and tours. Directions are on the Nishiyama Family Residence page.