What Is the Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate?
The Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate (旧大谷家住宅表門, Kyū Ōtani-ke Jūtaku Omotemon) is a timber Yakuimon gate built in 1961 in Mizuochi, Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) on 26 March 2015. It is 3.1 m wide and roofed with pantiles (Sangawara-buki).
It opens at the middle of the estate's south side, flanked by the wall built in the same year. It was added a quarter of a century after the main house was rebuilt in 1935, and it forms the formal face of the property.
The Face of the Estate
The Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate is a single-bay yakuimon 10 shaku wide. Its posts are rectangular in section (gohei), and bracket sets (Kumimono) with cloud-shaped arms carry the ornament in the gable.
That gable ornament is built up from a curved Kōryō tie beam, a Taiheizuka strut standing on it, and scrolled Oigata boards on either side. The eaves use two tiers of closely spaced Taruki rafters.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs judges the gate to have the form and quality proper to the central entrance of a fine residence. It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape: standing among rice fields, the gate announces the standing of the house behind it.
The Gable Ornament and the Openwork Transom
In front of the Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate, look up at the gable first. The bowed tie beam, the strut rising from its center and the scrolled boards curling to either side combine into a single motif, and below them the cloud-shaped bracket arms take the load.
Then look under the eaves. The double tier of tightly spaced rafters throws a striped shadow. Although it dates from 1961, Ōtani-ke Omotemon is framed in the traditional way, with no shortcuts.
Above the board doors is a transom (Ranma) of pierced carving (Sukashibori). Small wicket gates (Kugurido) flank the main doors, each under its own pantile roof, and the step between the main roof and these lower roofs gives the gate its tiered outline.
Visiting the Front Gate
The Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate is the entrance to the museum, so every visitor passes through it. Its front can be seen from the road outside even before you pay admission.
For the gable ornament, stand a little way back from the front. The rafters and the carved transom are easiest to study from directly beneath the gate.
Oyabe City's official pages do not mention a photography policy; ask at reception before taking pictures inside the grounds.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Toyama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate
- [ Kurobe Gorge Train & Tateyama Alpine Route ]
Q&A
- When was the Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1961.
- What type of gate is the Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate?
- A single-bay yakuimon 10 shaku wide, with cloud-shaped bracket arms carrying a gable ornament of tie beam, strut and scrolled side boards.
- How wide is the Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate?
- It is 3.1 m wide.
- Can I see the Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate without paying admission?
- Yes, its front is visible from the road outside. Beyond the gate lie the museum grounds.
- When was the Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 26 March 2015, registration number 16-0106.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | 35 Mizuochi, Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2015 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Width 3.1 m (timber; single-bay yakuimon) |
| Owner | Oyabe City |
| Public Access | Exterior always visible as the entrance to the Oyabe City Otani Museum |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010439
- Former Otani Family Residence Front Gate (Toyama Cultural Heritage)
- https://toyama-bunkaisan.jp/search/2534/
- Oyabe City Otani Museum (Oyabe City)
- https://www.city.oyabe.toyama.jp/bunkasports/1003003/1003024/1004676.html
Last verified: 2026.09.23
