The Gatehouse of the Brewery
The Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate (西堀酒造長屋門) is a timber nagayamon gatehouse of the Taisho era in Awanomiya, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 18, 2008 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 42 square metres; registration number 09-0174.
A Gateway Between a Room and a Store
The Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate is a single-storey timber Nagayamon gatehouse on the east side of the brewery grounds, facing east, 9.1 metres wide and 4.6 metres deep under a gabled Sangawara-buki roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The central two bays form the gateway, with a room to the north and a storeroom to the south. The walls show their timber frame in the Shinkabe manner, filled with Shikkui plaster above a clapboard dado held by notched battens (Shitami-itabari), and the lean-to of the bottling plant joins the north end (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered the Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate for its contribution to the historic landscape, crediting it with giving the brewery a dignified frontage. Joined at the north to the bottling plant's lean-to, gate and workshop present a single continuous front.
What to Look For
From the east front, compare the open two-bay gateway with the closed walls of the room and storeroom on either side. The exposed posts against white plaster and the dark clapboard below make a clear contrast (Agency for Cultural Affairs), and at the north end the bottling plant's lean-to meets the gate roof.
Visiting
The Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate faces east on the east side of the grounds, so its front is seen from the east (layout from the Agency's notes). No official information was found on access to the room and storeroom, or on photography.
Q&A
- When was the Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate built?
- In the Taisho era (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is the Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate?
- It measures 9.1 metres by 4.6 metres, with a building area of 42 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is inside the Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate?
- A two-bay gateway in the centre, with a room to the north and a storeroom to the south.
- Where can I see the Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate from?
- It faces east on the east side of the grounds, so the front is seen from the east.
- When was the Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate registered?
- On April 18, 2008 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate (西堀酒造長屋門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1452 Awanomiya, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/04/18 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, tiled roof, 42 m² (9.1 m by 4.6 m) |
| Owner | Nishibori Shuzo Co., Ltd. (per the company; not listed in the Agency database) |
| Public Access | Exterior only (no information on interior access) |
References
- Nishibori Shuzo Nagayamon Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007001
Last verified: 2026.10.29
