What Is the Kada Family Residence Wall?
The Kada Family Residence Wall (加田家住宅塀, Kada-ke Jūtaku Hei) is an early Showa-period brick boundary wall in Yabu-no-cho, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2007.
The Kada Family Residence Wall runs along the west side of the lot, extending to left and right of the Front Gate. It is 2 meters high and 31 meters long in total, built of brick and capped with a Sangawara-buki tile roof.
Why the Kada Family Residence Wall Was Registered
The Kada Family Residence Wall was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for its contribution to the historic landscape. Its registration number, 30-0111, is the last of the nine at the residence.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs draws attention to the way it is finished differently on each side. The face toward the street is weighty and formal; the face toward the house is quiet and plain. One wall, two faces.
What to Look for at the Kada Family Residence Wall
The street side is clad in aoishi, a local green chlorite schist that splits into flat slabs. Laid in courses, it makes the wall look like solid stone masonry and hides the brick core entirely.
At the foot of the wall a band of granite gives a change of color and texture beneath the green schist. Running 31 meters along the street, the stone face gives the west side of the residence its firm outline.
The inner side is rendered in mortar and finished by dragging a brush across it to leave fine parallel lines. Where the outside shows off the weight of stone, the inside is flat and restrained. The inner face of the Kada Family Residence Wall is not open to view, so the contrast is best checked in the photographs on the Agency for Cultural Affairs database.
Visiting the Kada Family Residence Wall
Because the Kada Family Residence Wall faces the street on the west side, its schist-clad outer face can be seen from the road. The inner side and the grounds belong to a private home and are not open to the public. Please do not touch or lean on the wall. Directions are on the page for the Kada Family Residence.
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Q&A
- How long is the Kada Family Residence Wall?
- 31 meters in total and 2 meters high, extending on both sides of the Front Gate.
- What is the Kada Family Residence Wall made of?
- Brick, with a pantile roof on top, faced outside with local green schist and with granite at the base.
- How do the two sides of the Kada Family Residence Wall differ?
- The outer face is clad in schist to look like stone masonry, while the inner face is mortar with a brushed finish.
- What is the green stone on the Kada Family Residence Wall?
- Aoishi, a locally quarried chlorite schist that splits into flat, greenish slabs.
- Can the Kada Family Residence Wall be seen from the street?
- Yes, the outer face can be seen from the road on the west side. The inner side is not open to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Kada Family Residence Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 6 Yabu-no-cho, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2007 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Height 2 m, total length 31 m |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (private residence) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Kada Family Residence Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006214
- Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education, Wakayama Cultural Heritage: Kada Family Residence (in Japanese)
- https://wakayama-bunkazai.jp/bunkazai/bunkazai-spot-341/
- Wakayama City Cultural Properties: Kada Family Residence (in Japanese)
- https://wakayamacity-bunkazai.jp/shitei/537/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
