About the Endo Family Residence Side Gate
The Endo Family Residence Side Gate (遠藤家住宅通用門, Endō-ke Jūtaku Tsūyōmon) is an early Showa period (from 1926) gate and wall at 486 Bōryō, Daisen Town, Tottori Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 18, 2003.
The Endo Family Residence Side Gate is a plain Udekimon set in the east side of an estate put at about 3,000 tsubo. It has a pantile roof and a frontage of 1.8 m, and the registration includes 27 m of wall running from it. It is the only Showa-era structure among the five registered at the Endo Family Residence.
A Gate for Everyday Comings and Goings
A tsūyōmon is the working entrance of a large house: the gate used day to day by family members, servants and tradesmen, as distinct from the front gate kept for formal visitors and occasions. At the Endo estate, the 1860 front gate stands midway along the east side, and the Endo Family Residence Side Gate sits farther north on the same side.
An udekimon carries its light roof on arms (udeki) projecting forward and back from the tops of the posts. It is a modest type, often used for service gates. Here the formal front gate and the practical side gate face the same road and divide the work between them.
The Wall Running From the Side Gate
From beside the Endo Family Residence Side Gate, a Shinkabe wall runs north, then turns west at the corner to mark the north edge of the estate. In shinkabe construction the timber posts are left exposed on the face of the wall, so the plastered panels between them repeat in an even rhythm.
Part of the wall was lost to later alterations. Even so, the Agency for Cultural Affairs regards the gate and wall together as indispensable to the look of a large estate. It is the wall that lets you see from the road just how far the property extends.
Why the Side Gate Was Registered
The Endo Family Residence Side Gate was registered as a contributor to the historic landscape. The gate itself is simple, but with the wall that turns the northeast corner it defines the outer edge of the estate and shows how much of the village of Bōryō the Endo household occupied.
Seeing the Endo Family Residence Side Gate
The Endo Family Residence Side Gate and its wall face the road on the east, so they can be seen from the street. It is the gate of a private home, so do not go through it. Walking north from the gate, you can follow the wall to the northeast corner where it turns west and see where later alterations broke its line.
No official guidance on photography could be found as of September 2026. The gate is still in use, so do not stand where you would block it.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Endo Family Residence Side Gate
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Q&A
- When was the Endo Family Residence Side Gate built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs database dates it to the early Showa period. It is the only Showa structure among the five registered at the Endo Family Residence.
- What kind of gate is the Endo Family Residence Side Gate?
- A simple udekimon, with its roof carried on arms projecting from the posts. It has a pantile roof and a frontage of 1.8 m.
- How long is the wall of the Endo Family Residence Side Gate?
- The registered wall is 27 m long. It runs north from the gate and turns west to mark the north edge of the estate.
- How does the Endo Family Residence Side Gate differ from the front gate?
- The front gate, built in 1860, is the formal entrance; the side gate is a plain gate for everyday use. Both open onto the east side of the estate.
- Can visitors see the Endo Family Residence Side Gate?
- Its exterior and the wall can be seen from the road on the east, but it belongs to a private home and you cannot go through it.
Basic Information
| Name | Endo Family Residence Side Gate (遠藤家住宅通用門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 486 Bōryō, Daisen Town, Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2003 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Frontage 1.8 m; attached wall 27 m long |
| Owner | Not disclosed |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (exterior visible from the road on the east) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): 遠藤家住宅通用門
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00003305
- Cultural Heritage Online: 遠藤家住宅通用門
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/149915
- Daisen Town: Endo Family Residence (main house and four other structures)
- https://www.daisen.jp/10/33/1/s148/u165/
- Daisen Town: Endo Family Residence (town-designated cultural properties)
- https://www.daisen.jp/10/33/1/w930/u165/
Last verified: 2026.09.30
