Inoue Family Residence (Former Iwata Family Residence) Earthen Wall

What Is the Inoue Family Residence (Former Iwata Family Residence) Earthen Wall?

The Inoue Family Residence (Former Iwata Family Residence) Earthen Wall (井上家住宅（旧岩田家住宅）土塀, Inoue-ke Jūtaku, Kyū Iwata-ke Jūtaku Dobei) is the tile-capped earthen wall that encloses a farmhouse estate in Nakamitani, Kinokawa City, Wakayama Prefecture; built in the early Taishō period, between 1912 and 1918, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 7 August 2023. Its total length is 59 meters.

The wall begins just west of the nagayamon gate, follows the south and west edges of the plot and meets the storehouse in the northwest corner. Past the storehouse it turns along the north side and runs on to the northeast corner.

A Face of Small Green Stones

The Inoue Family Residence Earthen Wall was registered as number 30-0338 for its contribution to the historic landscape. Both the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Wakayama Prefecture call its outer finish unique.

The outside of the wall is covered with small pieces of green chlorite schist, set so closely that no gaps show. Wakayama Prefecture refers to the stone as aoishi, literally blue stone. The pebbles cover the whole face, giving it an appearance entirely unlike a plain white plastered wall. The Wakayama Prefecture heritage portal has a photograph of the wall, worth looking at before you go.

Stone Footings and Two Side Doors

The wall is raised on footings of stacked stone and capped with a small roof of Sangawara-buki pantiles.

There are 2 service openings in the wall, one just south of the storehouse and one midway along the north side. Besides the main gate, then, the household had ways in and out on the west and north.

The main house went up around 1916, so the Inoue Family Residence Earthen Wall belongs to roughly the same years.

Visiting

The Inoue Family Residence (Former Iwata Family Residence) Earthen Wall is privately owned and the grounds inside it are closed. Because its stone face looks outward, the stretch running west from the gate can be seen from the lane on the south.

However tempting it is to look closely at the stonework, please do not touch the wall or step onto the property line. The lane is a local road, so choose where you stop with care.