What Is the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall?
The Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall (不破家住宅門及び塀, Fuwa-ke Jūtaku Mon oyobi Hei) is the street gate of the Fuwa family estate on the old Nakasendō highway in Takamiya-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, together with the short walls on either side; built in the early Showa period, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 29 November 2016. The gate is 2.0 meters wide, and each wall runs 2.0 meters, 4.0 meters in total.
The gate stands directly in front of the main house entrance and opens onto the road. Its job is to mark the line between the public street and the house behind it.
Why It Was Registered
The Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall was registered under number 25-0382 for its contribution to the historic landscape, in the same 85th round of registrations as the main house, storehouse and high wall.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the gate and wall with giving the frontage the calm character of a post town. They date from the early Showa period (1926 to 1945), roughly 70 to 90 years after the main house of 1857, so what you see is a Showa-era carpenter's frontage set before a late-Edo townhouse.
A Bracketed Gate with a Sliding Door
The gate of the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall is an Udekimon, a gate whose eaves are carried on Udeki, short brackets projecting forward and back from the posts. Its roof is a simple gable in the Kirizuma-zukuri form, laid with Sangawara-buki pantiles.
Instead of swinging leaves, the gate closes with a single large board door that slides to one side. A small Kugurido wicket is cut into it, so everyday comings and goings could use the wicket while the full door was opened only for carts or crowds.
Board Walls and Batten Tiles
The walls on either side are faced with vertical boards, their joints covered by narrow battens nailed over the seams. This Tateita-bari finish gives the street face a steady rhythm of vertical lines.
Along the top runs a coping of batten tiles with rounded, rod-like ridges. It sits a step below the gate roof like a light cap. Timber and tile tie the gate and walls together, and their texture contrasts with the plastered walls of the main house behind.
Visiting the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall
The Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall faces the old Nakasendō and can be seen in full from the public road. Beyond the gate is private property, and visitors cannot enter.
To see how the brackets carry the eaves, look up at the gate from a slight angle in front. Stepping back a little brings the board walls and batten-tile coping into view together with the gate, framed against the gable of the main house. Please stay off the property when taking photographs.
Q&A
- When was the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall built?
- The national database dates it to the early Showa period, between 1926 and 1945, without giving an exact year.
- When did the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On 29 November 2016, as registration number 25-0382, for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- What kind of gate is the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- A bracketed udekimon gate 2.0 meters wide with a gabled pantile roof. It closes with a large sliding door fitted with a small wicket.
- How long are the walls of the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- 2.0 meters on each side of the gate, 4.0 meters in total, faced with battened vertical boards and capped with batten tiles.
- Can I see the Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- Yes, from the public road along the old Nakasendō. The grounds behind the gate are private and closed.
Basic Information
| Name | Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall (不破家住宅門及び塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2351 Takamiya-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure), No. 25-0382 |
| Year Designated | Registered 29 November 2016 |
| Quantity | 1 item (gate with walls on both sides) |
| Dimensions | Gate: timber, tiled roof, 2.0 meters wide. Walls: timber, tiled, 4.0 meters in total |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the old Nakasendō (grounds closed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011333
- Cultural Heritage Online: Fuwa Family Residence Gate and Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/292910
- Nakasendo Takamiya Post Town (Hikone City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.hikone.lg.jp/kakuka/kanko_bunka/2/5/2325.html
Last verified: 2026.09.28
