About the Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall
The Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall (坂口家住宅門及び塀, Sakaguchi-ke Jūtaku Mon oyobi Hei) is a late Taisho-era wooden gate and wall facing the north street east of the main house at the Sakaguchi Family Residence in Odakamachi, Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, and it was registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
The gate is a one-bay Udekimon with a Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof of Sangawara-buki pan tiles, 1.6 meters wide, hung with double doors. Walls extend on both sides of it for a total length of 6.9 meters. Gate and wall are registered together as a single item.
Why the Sakaguchi Gate and Wall Were Registered
The Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall was registered with the Main House and three other structures as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property that contributes to the historic landscape. Its registration number is 31-0146, dated April 28, 2009.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits the gate and wall with giving the house a well-ordered street front, and Tottori Prefecture notes that they continue directly from the Main House. Because the gate and wall run on without a break from the wall of the corner house, the whole north frontage of the property reads as one composition.
What to Look For at the Sakaguchi Gate and Wall
Eaves carried on brackets
The gate of the Sakaguchi Gate and Wall supports its eaves on Udeki, wooden arms that project forward and back from the posts. This simple gate type also appears at samurai houses and as side gates of temples. Here the opening is just 1.6 meters wide, enough for one person, under a small gabled roof. Seen from the street, the bracket ends poking out through the posts and the beam resting on top of them are easy to make out.
Cut-stone footing and white walls
The walls rest on a footing of cut stone, with square posts and the same bracketed eaves as the gate. They are finished in white Shikkui lime plaster with vertical boarding up to waist height, a combination that also appears on the outer walls of the Earthen Floor Storehouse.
A late Taisho street front
The Main House and the Earthen Floor Storehouse were built in 1892, while the gate and wall date from the late Taisho era, making them among the newer parts of the property. Together with the 1926 detached house, they show the family tidying up the outside of the compound during the Taisho years.
Viewing the Sakaguchi Gate and Wall
The Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall face the north street, so the front can be seen directly from the road. The gate is the entrance to a private home and the grounds are closed (checked October 2, 2026). Lingering in front of the gate would block the way in and out, so it is better to look from the far side of the street.
Please keep photography to the road. Directions are on the Sakaguchi Family Residence page.
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Q&A
- When were the Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates them to the late Taisho era. They were registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.
- What type of gate is the Sakaguchi gate?
- It is a one-bay bracketed gate (udekimon), 1.6 meters wide, with a gabled tile roof and double doors.
- How long is the wall of the Sakaguchi Gate and Wall?
- The walls on both sides of the gate total 6.9 meters. They stand on a cut-stone footing, with white plaster above vertical boarding at waist height.
- Where can I see the Sakaguchi Gate and Wall?
- They face the north street and can be seen from the road. The grounds are not open.
- How do the Sakaguchi Gate and Wall relate to the Main House?
- They continue directly east from the Main House and form the front of the property along the north street.
Basic Information
| Name | Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 13 Odakamachi, Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2009 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Gate 1.6 meters wide, wall 6.9 meters in total length |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Grounds closed (exterior visible from the street) |
References
- Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007662
- Sakaguchi Family Residence Gate and Wall (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/120534
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties: Sakaguchi Family Residence (Yonago City, in Japanese)
- https://www.city.yonago.lg.jp/36441.htm
- Sakaguchi Family Residence (Tottori Cultural Properties Navi, Tottori Prefecture, in Japanese)
- https://db.pref.tottori.jp/bunkazainavi.nsf/bunkazai_web_view/2E80ED6BA3408FCE4925796F0008007E
Last verified: 2026.10.02
