Yurinso Earthen Wall

What Is the Yurinso Earthen Wall?

The Yurinso Earthen Wall (有隣荘土塀, Yūrinsō Dobei) is a tile-capped wall built around 1923 that bends away on both sides of the gatehouse at the front of the Yurinso estate in Kuniyasu, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2013.

It runs 14.2 m east and 5.4 m west of the gatehouse, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs gives its total length as 20 m. Despite the name, the structure field in the database reads "wooden, tiled": it is a timber-framed wall with plastered panels between posts.

Why the Yurinso Earthen Wall Was Registered

The Yurinso Earthen Wall was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, number 31-0181, with the gatehouse, stone wall and six other structures, for contributing to the historic landscape of the country.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs credits it with matching the design of the gatehouse and so creating a dignified front for the estate. A gate alone is just a way in; with walls running off either side, the whole south edge of the lot rises as a single facade. To the west the Yurinso Earthen Wall hands over directly to the stone wall, so gate, wall and stonework stand in one line.

What to Look for at the Yurinso Earthen Wall

Footing stones and brackets

The Yurinso Earthen Wall stands on nuno-ishi, long footing stones laid along the ground. Through each post passes an Udeki bracket arm, and the arms carry the eaves beam that holds up the Kirizuma-zukuri gabled coping of Sangawara-buki tiles. Walk along the wall and the brackets, one at every post, throw a regular row of small shadows under the eaves.

Exposed posts and white plaster

The walls are Shinkabe, with the posts left visible and the panels between them finished in white Shikkui plaster, and the base is clad in sasarako shitamiita battened weatherboards. The posts divide the plaster into even bays, so a long wall never goes flat. The side rooms of the gatehouse use the same plaster and boards, and the finish runs unbroken from gate to wall.

Two unequal arms

The wall is not symmetrical about the gate. The eastern arm is a long 14.2 m, the western a short 5.4 m, and beyond the western end the stone wall takes over. Stand in front of the gate and look left and right: you can compare the two lengths and see where plaster gives way to stone.

Visiting the Yurinso Earthen Wall

Because the Yurinso Earthen Wall lines the front of the estate, its exterior can be seen from in front of the gatehouse. Along with the gatehouse and the stone wall, it is part of what can be viewed without a booking (checked October 2, 2026).

The wall marks the property boundary, so please do not lean on it or touch the tiles. Diners pass through the gate during opening hours, so keep the way clear when taking photos. Directions are on the Yurinso page.