The Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall
The Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall (大谷家住宅中門及び塀, Ōtani-ke Jūtaku Chūmon oyobi Hei) is the gate and wall enclosing the south front of the Otani Family Residence in Inaricho, Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture, built in 1931 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2004.
It encloses the south face of the Main House and the Western-Style House. The gate is a single-bay Munamon with a gabled pantile roof that swells slightly upward. The gate opening is 2.4 metres wide, and the wall runs for 28 metres on either side.
Why the Middle Gate and Wall Were Registered
They were registered for their contribution to the historic townscape: this is the face the estate presents to the old Nakasendo, and it shapes the view along the street.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs also comments on the design. The door panels and transoms carry openwork carving, and the underside of the roof is left exposed as a finished ceiling of fine lattice. The walls are built in the Shinkabe manner, with adze-textured naguri boards along the base and openwork transoms of their own.
What to Look For
Start with the roofline. The gable has a gentle upward swell, called mukuri, that softens the whole gate. Stand under it and look up to see the lattice of thin battens forming the exposed ceiling.
Along the base of the wall, the naguri finish comes from working the boards with an adze to leave regular, scalloped cuts, a treatment favored around sukiya gardens. Fukaya City's own photograph frames this gate and wall in the foreground with the Western-Style House behind.
The 2014 newsletter profile describes walking the old Nakasendo and coming upon the estate behind its white plastered wall. Of the nine registered properties, the Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall is the one you can see closest from the street.
Visiting the Middle Gate and Wall
The Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall faces the road and can be seen from outside. Beyond the gate is a private home, and there is no entry.
Please don't touch the doors or wall or linger in front of the gate, and keep photography brief. Directions to the estate are on the Otani Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Saitama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall
- [ Kawagoe Little Edo & Moominvalley Park ]
Q&A
- Can you see the Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall from the street?
- Yes. It faces the road on the old Nakasendo side. You cannot go through the gate.
- How large is the Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall?
- The gate opening is 2.4 metres wide, and the wall extends 28 metres on either side.
- What details should I look for on the Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall?
- The gently swelling gable roof, the openwork carving on the doors and transoms, the exposed lattice ceiling under the gate roof, and the adze-textured boards along the base of the wall.
- Why was the Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall registered?
- It was registered on February 17, 2004, for its contribution to the historic townscape.
- What type of gate is the Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall?
- A single-bay munamon gate under a gently swelling gabled pantile roof, with openwork carving in the door panels and transoms.
Basic Information
| Name | Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-3-39 Inaricho, Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/2/17 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Wooden, tiled roof, gate opening 2.4 metres, wall length 28 metres |
| Owner | Otani Shoji Limited Partnership |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the street (grounds not open to the public) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Otani Family Residence Middle Gate and Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003839
- Fukaya City: Nationally Designated and Registered Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.city.fukaya.saitama.jp/rekishi_bunkazai/shinobunkazai/1391665872242.html
- Smile Tsushin Vol. 56 (July 2014): #33 Fukaya, the Otani House (Japanese)
- https://www.sahn.jp/saitamanosumai/33.html
Last verified: 2026.09.25
