A wall on the highway, beside the main house
The Himurean High Wall is a wall of around 1921 standing east of the front of the main house and facing the former Kyo Kaido highway in Nishimotocho, Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in December 1998.
Timber built and tiled, with wooden gate leaves attached, it runs 5.8 metres. The national database classes it among other structures rather than buildings. It is finished Shinkabe, with the posts left exposed and boarding across the lower part, so a plastered wall keeps its timber frame in view.
Two streets, two treatments
The face of the Himurean High Wall was designed to match the front of the main house next to it. Toward the highway, wall and house run as one surface in the same key.
The eastern road gets the opposite treatment, a continuous run of Shikkui plaster. The same household answered its two streets in two ways. The registration number is 25-0102, the last of the 7 items here, under the criterion of contribution to the historic landscape of the country.
The small roof over the entrance is a recent alteration. The mixture of old and new fabric is stated plainly in the register.
What to look at
At 5.8 metres the wall is short. It covers only the eastern part of the frontage, enough to carry the line of the facade along the highway without a break.
Come closer and compare the boarding at the base with the plastered panel above. The posts of the Shinkabe frame stand at regular intervals, and that rhythm of division is what gives the Himurean High Wall its character. Around the entrance, where the small roof sits, the timber is visibly newer, which is a pleasure to pick out.
Visiting
The Himurean High Wall faces the old highway and is the easiest of the 7 items here to see. The whole face can be taken in from the road, alongside the front of the main house. Beyond the gate leaves is private property and closed.
Photography from the street is unproblematic. The highway is not wide, so watch for traffic as you step back for the shot. Directions to the property are set out on the Himurean page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Himurean High Wall?
- East of the front of the main house, facing the old Kyo Kaido highway. Of the 7 registered items on the plot it is the easiest to see, with the whole face visible from the road.
- How is the Himurean High Wall built?
- In shinkabe fashion, with the posts left exposed and boarding across the lower part. The structure is timber with a tiled top and wooden gate leaves, running 5.8 metres.
- How old is the Himurean High Wall?
- It dates to around 1921, though the small roof above the entrance is a recent alteration.
- Is the Himurean High Wall an Important Cultural Property?
- No. It is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, entered in December 1998 under registration number 25-0102.
- Can you photograph the Himurean High Wall?
- From the old highway, yes. The area beyond the gate leaves is private property, so please do not enter.
Basic Information
| Name | Himurean High Wall (日牟禮庵高塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 61 Nishimotocho, Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/12/11 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, with wooden gate leaves, length 5.8 metres |
| Owner | Private; no owner name recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Not open, but the whole face can be seen from the old highway |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Himurean High Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000979
- National Cultural Properties Database, Himurean Main House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000973
- Cultural Heritage Online, Himurean Main House
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/180883
- Omihachiman City, Cultural Properties
- https://www.city.omihachiman.lg.jp/kanko/rekishi/1/index.html
Last verified: 2026.09.17
