About the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall
The Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall (山下家住宅門及び築地塀, Yamashita-ke Jūtaku Mon oyobi Tsuijibei) is a garden gate and plastered wall in Matsukawa-cho, Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture, built in the early Showa era (the first half of the Showa period, which began in 1926) and entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on January 15, 2010. The gate is 2.3 meters wide and the wall runs for 25 meters; together they are registered as a single structure.
The gate and wall enclose the garden that lies south of the annex and east of the main house. The gate opens to the west. This is not the front gate of the estate but a boundary drawn around its garden.
A White Wall Capped with Red Tile
The wall of the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall is a Tsuijibei, a solid wall finished in white Shikkui plaster and capped with red Sekishū tiles (Sekishū-gawara). It stands 2.2 meters high and runs for 25 meters.
At 2.2 meters, the wall is high enough that a standing adult cannot see over it into the garden. A single line of red tile along the top of the white face matches the palette of every other building on the estate, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs remarks that the white plaster and red tile add color to the garden scene.
A Modest Bracketed Gate
The gate of the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall is an Udekimon 2.3 meters wide, a type in which brackets projecting from the posts carry the roof. The roof is gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) and tiled in red.
Double-leaf board doors hang in the opening, and the eaves use a single layer of widely spaced rafters (Taruki), the same detail found on the well shed and a sign that both belong to the same early Showa phase of work. It is a restrained gate, suited to the front garden of a set of reception rooms rather than to the main approach.
Why the Gate and Wall Were Registered
The Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. Once the annex with its formal rooms went up in 1929, this gate and wall closed off the garden in front of it, creating a distinct area for receiving guests on the east side of the main house.
Separated by the wall from the earth-floored work areas of the main house, the row house and the storehouses, the garden gave the farm a space set aside for hospitality and for looking at. The gate and wall are that boundary made physical.
Seeing the Gate and Wall
The Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall stands on private property, and we found no official notice of openings. The garden lies east of the main house and south of the annex, and the gate faces west inside the site, so how much you can see from the road depends on where you stand.
Do not look over the wall into the garden or approach the gate. If you take photographs, respect the residents' privacy. Directions are on the Yamashita Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall
- [ Izumo Taisha Shrine & Adachi Museum Gardens ]
Q&A
- When were the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall built?
- In the early Showa era, the first half of the Showa period that began in 1926. The exact year is not known.
- How large is the wall of the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall?
- It is 2.2 meters high and 25 meters long, finished in white plaster and capped with red tiles.
- What kind of gate is the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall gate?
- A bracketed udekimon gate 2.3 meters wide, with a gabled red-tiled roof, double-leaf board doors and single-layer spaced rafters.
- What do the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall enclose?
- The garden south of the annex and east of the main house. The gate opens to the west.
- Can you visit the Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall?
- They are on private property and we found no official information about openings. Please stay on the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall (山下家住宅門及び築地塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 598 Hatada, Matsukawa-cho, Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2010 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Gate: 2.3 m wide (timber, tiled roof) / Wall: 2.2 m high, 25 m long (timber, tiled roof) |
| Owner | Not disclosed |
| Public Access | No public opening announced (on private property) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008065
- Cultural Heritage Online: Yamashita Family Residence Gate and Tsuiji Wall
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/204126
- Shimane Prefecture: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures)
- https://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/life/bunka/bunkazai/shimane/tourokubunkazai2.html
Last verified: 2026.09.29
