About the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall
The Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall (奥野省吾家住宅塀, Okuno Shōgo-ke Jūtaku Hei) is a reinforced-concrete garden wall in Mori, Hakuta-cho, Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture, built in 1929 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005. It is 45 meters long and about 2 meters high.
The wall stands north of the main house and storehouse, bending along the western half of the plot's north side so that it encloses the garden north of the house on three sides. The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered the Okuno Shogo wall for its contribution to the historic landscape, calling it an essential part of the estate. It was added 18 years after the 1911 house, storehouse and rear nagaya.
A Timber Fence Cast in Concrete
What makes the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall interesting is that it copies the form of a timber wall in reinforced concrete. According to the Agency, the sill and the posts are modeled in concrete, and the tops of the posts are tied together by a horizontal rail, the Nuki of traditional carpentry.
Sill, posts and rails are the framework of a wall built from wooden members. Here the material has changed but the familiar look has been kept, a small record of how builders in the early Showa era reconciled traditional form with modern materials.
German-Style Rough Plaster Between the Posts
The panels between the posts are finished in the manner known in Japan as Doitsu-kabe, or German wall: mortar mixed with small stones is thrown or troweled on and left with a rough, pebbly surface. The finish was popular for Western-style buildings and houses in the Taishō and early Showa years.
Posts and rails that recall a timber fence, with a coarse Western-style render in between: the Okuno Shogo wall puts Japanese and Western ideas side by side, which is very much of its time.
Visiting the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall
The Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall runs along the western half of the plot's north side, including the stretch near the road. Part of it may be visible from outside, but how much has not been confirmed. No public opening has been announced.
There is no official guidance on photography. The wall encloses a private garden, so please do not peer over it or step onto the property. Directions are on the Okuno Shogo Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall
- [ Izumo Taisha Shrine & Adachi Museum Gardens ]
Q&A
- Can you see the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall?
- No public opening has been announced. Part of the wall runs near the road and may be visible from outside, but this has not been confirmed.
- When was the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall built?
- In 1929, 18 years after the main house of 1911.
- What is the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall made of?
- Reinforced concrete, with the sill, posts and tie rails of a timber wall modeled in concrete.
- How big is the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall?
- It is 45 meters long and about 2 meters high, enclosing the garden north of the main house on three sides.
- What is the finish on the Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall?
- The panels between the posts have a rough, German-style render (Doitsu-kabe).
Basic Information
| Name | Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall (奥野省吾家住宅塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 188 Mori, Hakuta-cho, Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2005 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Length 45 meters, height about 2 meters (reinforced concrete) |
| Owner | Not listed in the ACA database |
| Public Access | No public opening announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Okuno Shogo Family Residence Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004625
- Shimane Prefecture: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/life/bunka/bunkazai/shimane/tourokubunkazai2.html
- Yasugi City: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties in Yasugi (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.yasugi.shimane.jp/kurashi/bunka/bunkazai/sibunkazai.data/tourokubunkazai.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.06
