The face the estate shows the street
The Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall (若林家住宅門及び塀, Wakabayashi-ke Jūtaku Mon oyobi Hei) is a wooden gate and boundary wall built in the early Shōwa period (1926–1945) in Inukata-cho, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 29 November 2016. The gate opens directly opposite the front door of the main house, set back a little from the road on the north side, and the wall runs east and west from it before turning at right angles.
The gate is 3.0 metres wide and the wall runs to a total of 68 metres. Both are timber-framed and roofed with tiles.
Of the eight registered structures on the estate, the Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall is the only one that can be seen in full from the road. For anyone visiting from outside, it is the first thing you meet and, in most cases, the only one.
Why it was registered
The Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape; the Agency for Cultural Affairs credits it with giving the street a streetscape of real quality.
The gate is a udegimon, a simple type in which the roof rests on beams projecting like arms from the posts, built into a tall wall. Pent roofs of Sangawara-buki pantiles shelter the front and back, and the lattice doors slide apart to either side.
The wall is clad in vertical boards along its lower section, with a plastered upper face left at the intermediate coat. Small windows are cut into it at intervals of one ken, giving a long stretch of wall a steady rhythm.
It is the consistency of 68 metres of wall built to the same design that holds the street view together.
What to look for
Standing in front of the gate, you can see how it lines up with the front door of the main house beyond. Setting the gate back from the road creates a small forecourt, which gives the approach a calm, welcoming quality.
A glimpse of the interior through the lattice depends on how the doors happen to be set. Please do not step inside or press up against the lattice.
Walk along the wall and the small windows follow one another at regular intervals until the wall turns the corner. Near the northeast corner, the white walls of the north storehouse and the red roof of the Western-style wing come into view side by side.
Visiting
The Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall can be viewed from the road on the north side. Beyond the gate is a private residence, and the grounds are not open.
There is no official guidance on photography, but as this is the entrance to a private home, please keep to the view from the road. Directions from the station are on the Wakabayashi Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shiga
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall
- [ Hikone Castle & Lake Biwa Cruise Experiences ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- Yes, from outside. It can be seen from the road on the north side, but the grounds beyond the gate are a private residence and cannot be entered.
- What does the Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall look like?
- The gate is a udegimon with projecting-arm beams built into a tall wall, with pantiled pent roofs front and back and lattice doors that slide apart. The wall has vertical boarding along its base, a plastered upper face, and small windows every one ken.
- How big is the Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- The gate is 3.0 metres wide and the wall has a total length of 68 metres.
- When was the Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall built?
- In the early Shōwa period (1926–1945). It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 29 November 2016.
- Why was the Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall registered?
- It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape: the set-back gate and the long wall built to a single design give the street a streetscape of real quality.
Basic Information
| Name | Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall (若林家住宅門及び塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 758 Inukata-cho, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration No. 25-0391, criterion: contributes to the historic landscape |
| Year Designated | Registered 2016/11/29 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Gate: wooden, tiled roof, 3.0 metres wide. Wall: wooden, tiled roof, total length 68 metres |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the road to the north (grounds not open) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Wakabayashi Family Residence Gate and Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00011342
- Wakabayashi Family Residence (Shiga Association of Registered Tangible Cultural Property Owners)
- https://shiga-tobunkai.org/catalogue/koto/431
- List of Designated and Registered Cultural Properties in Hikone (Hikone City)
- https://www.city.hikone.lg.jp/kakuka/kanko_bunka/8/2_2/4655.html
Last verified: 2026.09.26
