What Is the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall?
The Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall (旧石橋家住宅北塀, Kyū Ishibashi-ke Jūtaku Kita-bei) is a late Meiji-period wall built between 1898 and 1912 in Serimachi, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2013. It is a timber wall with a tiled roof, 3.5 metres high and 8.2 metres long.
It spans the gap between the northwest corner of the Middle Storehouse and the northeast corner of the West Storehouse, closing off the space between them on the north side of the plot. Of the compound's four walls it is both the tallest and the shortest.
Why It Was Registered: A Doorway Between Two Storehouses
The Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall is a high wall under a gabled pantile roof (Kirizuma-zukuri, Sangawara-buki). Toward its eastern end is an opening one ken (about 1.8 metres) wide, closed with a hung board door. Among the four walls, the national records mention an opening only here and in the Garden Wall, which has a wicket door (Kugurido).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a high wall with a gentle, unimposing character. It is the tallest of the four, yet the official description dwells on its calm rather than its bulk. It was registered under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the nation.
A Mokko Window and Bracketed Eaves on the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall
On the north face of the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall, vertical boarding (Tateita-bari) climbs high up the wall. The band above it is finished at the nakanuri stage, the intermediate earthen coat, and in it is a window cut in the Mokkō shape, a lobed outline made of curves. Everything else on this face is straight boards and flat wall; the window is the one rounded form.
The eaves rest on Udeki, short timber arms that project from the wall to carry the edge of the tiled roof.
The wall dates from the late Meiji period, the same period as the Middle Storehouse on its east side. The West Storehouse to the west is older, from the early Meiji period, so the wall was set between storehouses of two different periods.
Seeing the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall
The Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall stands on the north side of the plot, between the storehouses, and the grounds are closed. From the street it is screened by the main houses and storehouses, so there is little chance to see the window or the brackets up close.
The photo gallery on the Agency for Cultural Affairs database page includes exterior views. Directions and viewing conditions for the whole compound are on the Former Ishibashi Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall built and registered?
- It dates from the late Meiji period, between 1898 and 1912, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on June 21, 2013.
- How tall and how long is the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall?
- It is 3.5 metres high and 8.2 metres long, the tallest and the shortest of the compound's four walls.
- Does the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall have a door?
- Yes. Toward the east end there is an opening one ken (about 1.8 metres) wide, fitted with a hung board door.
- What shape is the window in the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall?
- It is a mokko shape, a lobed outline of curves, cut into the upper band of the north face, which is finished with an intermediate earthen coat.
- Can I see the Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall?
- The grounds are closed, and the wall stands at the back of the plot, so it is hard to see from the street. Photographs on the national database show the exterior.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall (旧石橋家住宅北塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 11 Serimachi, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2013 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, 3.5 metres high, length 8.2 metres |
| Owner | Hikone City |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (inside the grounds; exterior hard to see) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Ishibashi Family Residence North Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009637
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Ishibashi Family Residence Middle Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009631
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Ishibashi Family Residence West Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009632
- Hikone Tourism Association: Former Ishibashi Family Residence Middle Main House
- https://www.hikoneshi.com/sightseeing/article/kyu-ishibashike-jutaku-nakashuoku
Last verified: 2026.09.28
