The line along the road
Running some thirty-six metres along the front of the estate, the wall is the line that gives the Itohara residence its face to the road. A tiled timber wall of the late Meiji era, it is registered as cultural property in its own right.
The wall is of timber construction with a tiled coping, extending about 36 metres. It defines the boundary between the road and the formal front of the residence, tying the ceremonial gate, the stone gate pillars and the buildings behind into one continuous frontage. Walls of this kind are rarely noticed on their own, yet they do much of the work of holding a historic streetscape together.
Why a wall was listed
Registered in February 2004 under the historic-landscape criterion, the wall was recognised for exactly that role. In a listing where the grand main house is judged a model of design, the wall earns its place by contribution to landscape: it is the connective tissue of the estate's public face. Its late-Meiji date places it among the works that gave the residence its present outward form.
Reading the frontage
Walking the approach, the wall sets the rhythm: length of tiled coping, the punctuation of the gate, the turn toward the entrance. It is worth reading the frontage as a composition rather than as a backdrop, since the wall is what makes the gate and pillars legible as a formal threshold. It runs along the estate's street side on the way to the museum.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Itohara Family Residence Wall
- [ Izumo Taisha Shrine & Adachi Museum Gardens ]
Q&A
- Why is a wall listed as cultural property?
- Because it holds together the historic frontage of the estate and contributes to the landscape.
- How long is it?
- About 36 metres.
- How is it built?
- In timber, with a tiled coping along the top.
- When does it date from?
- The late Meiji era.
- Can I see it?
- Yes; it lines the street side of the estate on the approach to the museum.
Basic Information
| Name | Itohara Family Residence, Enclosure Wall (絲原家住宅塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | Otani, Okuizumo, Nita District, Shimane (島根県仁多郡奥出雲町大谷856-1) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Registered | 17 February 2004 |
| Registration no. | 32-0024 |
| Structure | Timber with tiled coping; length approx. 36 m |
| Date | Late Meiji period |
| Registration criterion | Contribution to the historic landscape |
| Owner | Privately owned (individual) |
| Access | Open as part of the Itohara Memorial Museum |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Properties Database
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003915
- Itohara Memorial Museum — official site
- https://itoharas.com/
- Okuizumo Town — tourism guide
- https://okuizumo.org/jp/guide/detail/188/
- Shimane Kankō Navi — Itohara Memorial Museum
- https://www.kankou-shimane.com/destination/20282
Last verified: 2026.07.05