About the Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed
The Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed (山下家住宅井戸小屋, Yamashita-ke Jūtaku Idogoya) is a small timber well house 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. At 4.0 square meters it is the smallest of the eight registered structures on the estate.
The well shed stands southeast of the annex, with its ridge running north to south. It is little more than a roof over a well, yet the Agency for Cultural Affairs values it as a survival that shows one side of daily life on the estate.
A Frame 1.9 Meters Square
The Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed is almost exactly square, 1.9 meters on each side. Square posts stand at the corners, and the beams and plates are laid straight onto them. It is about as simple as a timber frame can be.
The roof is gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) and laid with red Sekishū tiles (Sekishū-gawara). The eaves use a single layer of widely spaced rafters (Taruki), and the roof deck rests on a lattice of split bamboo, which is left exposed underneath. With no ceiling, looking up you see the rafters and the bamboo grid directly.
Well Curb and Stone Washing Floor
In the middle of the Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed sits a wooden well curb, and on its south side is a washing area paved with cut stone. Drawing water, rinsing vegetables and tools, doing the laundry: all of that happened within a few square meters.
Cut stone underfoot would have kept the ground from turning to mud and let the water drain. That the curb is still wooden suggests the well was kept in repair and used for a long time.
Why the Well Shed Was Registered
The Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. Because even the small shelter over the water supply survives alongside the main house and storehouses, the estate conveys the full range of daily life, not just its largest buildings.
Its position near the annex of 1929 hints that the water supply may have been improved at the same time as the annex and garden, but the well shed is dated only to the early Showa era, so that cannot be confirmed.
Seeing the Well Shed
The Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed stands on private property, southeast of the annex, and we found no official notice of openings. It is deep inside the estate, so expect it not to be visible from the road.
The bamboo lattice under the eaves, the wooden curb and the stone washing floor are details you would need to stand close to see. Please do not enter the property. Directions are on the Yamashita Family Residence page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Shimane
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed
- [ Izumo Taisha Shrine & Adachi Museum Gardens ]
Q&A
- When was the Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed built?
- In the early Showa era, the first half of the Showa period that began in 1926. The exact year is not known.
- How big is the Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed?
- It measures 1.9 meters by 1.9 meters, a floor area of 4.0 square meters, the smallest of the eight registered structures on the estate.
- What is inside the Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed?
- A wooden well curb in the center, with a washing area paved in cut stone on its south side.
- What is notable about the roof of the Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed?
- It is a gabled roof of Sekishū tiles with widely spaced single-layer rafters, and the split-bamboo lattice of the roof deck is left exposed underneath.
- Can you see the Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed?
- It is on private property and we found no official information about openings. It sits deep inside the estate and cannot be seen from the road.
Basic Information
| Name | Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed (山下家住宅井戸小屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 598 Hatada, Matsukawa-cho, Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2010 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 1.9 m by 1.9 m; area 4.0 square meters (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 Well Shed
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008064
- Cultural Heritage Online: Yamashita Family Residence Well Shed
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/174515
- 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
