About the Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate
The Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate (常松家住宅表門, Tsunematsu-ke Jūtaku Omotemon) is a timber gate in Gui, Hikawa-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture, built around 1874 and entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on March 29, 2019. It is 3.5 meters wide and 1.8 meters deep.
The gate stands on the south edge of the plot, toward the east, directly opposite the entrance of the main house. Walk straight through and you reach the front door, so this is the formal way into the estate. It was repaired in 1986, the same year as the middle gate.
An Opening the Full Width of the Gate
The Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate has a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof laid with pantiles (Sangawara-buki). The whole 3.5-meter width is given over to the passage, so the gate is as wide as the way through it.
At 1.8 meters deep, the roof covers only a short walk. A passage this wide suits carts and loads as well as people.
Cedar and an Original Frame
All of the timber in the Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate is good-quality Japanese cedar (sugi). The middle gate inside the grounds is made of zelkova and dressed with big ridge tiles and gable ornaments; the front gate is plainer in both material and design.
Parts around the opening have been altered, but the post-and-beam frame keeps much of its original timber. The Agency for Cultural Affairs cites this in describing the gate as forming the dignified front of an old family house.
Why It Was Registered
The Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. Of the same date as the main house, storehouse and middle gate, it is the structure that presents the estate to the outside world.
It is about twice as wide as the middle gate, and its width alone announces it as the main entrance. Set the cedar front gate beside the zelkova middle gate and the difference is clear: one faces the road, the other stands inside at the edge of the garden.
Seeing the Front Gate
The Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate belongs to a private home, and as of September 2026 we found no notice of openings. Visitors cannot pass through it onto the grounds.
Because it stands on the south edge of the plot, it is the one of the five structures most likely to be seen from outside. Stay on the road, do not peer through the opening, and keep residents and cars out of your photographs. Directions are on the Tsunematsu Family Residence page.
Q&A
- When was the Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate built?
- Around 1874. It was repaired in 1986.
- How big is the Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate?
- It is 3.5 meters wide and 1.8 meters deep, with a gabled pantile roof. The full width forms the passage.
- What wood is the Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate made of?
- All of its timber is good-quality Japanese cedar. The middle gate, by contrast, is built of zelkova.
- Where is the Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate?
- On the south edge of the estate, toward the east, directly opposite the entrance of the main house.
- Can visitors see the Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate?
- It belongs to a private home and we found no official information about openings. You can only look from the road without entering the grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate (常松家住宅表門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 333 Horikawa, Gui, Hikawa-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2019 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Width 3.5 meters, depth 1.8 meters (timber, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | No public opening announced (private home; grounds not open) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00012801
- Cultural Heritage Online: Tsunematsu Family Residence Front Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/379594
- Agency for Cultural Affairs press release on new Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (recommendation of November 16, 2018, in Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/koho_hodo_oshirase/hodohappyo/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2018/12/14/a1411175_01_1.pdf
- Shimane Prefecture: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures) (in Japanese)
- https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/life/bunka/bunkazai/shimane/tourokubunkazai2.html
Last verified: 2026.09.29
