A Gatehouse of 1834 on a Shrine Approach
The Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate (大泉坊長屋門, Daisenbō Nagayamon) is a gatehouse built around 1834 on the approach to Omonoimi Shrine at Kamiwarabioka, Yuza Town, Akumi District, Yamagata Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on June 9, 2004 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The name is read Daisenbo, not Oizumibo.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 85 square metres; registration number 06-0058.
A Gatehouse on the Approach
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the gatehouse faces south onto the approach to Omonoimi Shrine and is 18.68 metres long and 4.54 metres deep. The gateway opens toward the west end, with an earth-floored store, formerly a rice store, to the east and raised rooms to the west.
The Yamagata Prefecture tourism site explains that gatehouses of this kind began on the outer edges of the Edo residences of great lords, with their form fixed by rank, and says the Daisenbo gate matches the rank of a domain of well over 10,000 koku. Chrysanthemum crests on its decorative eave tiles also suggest how prosperous the Daisenbo was.
Why It Was Registered
The Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a key building in the landscape of the village.
What to Look For
The frame is zelkova, and the eaves rest on projecting beams with a single layer of widely spaced rafters (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The tourism site describes it as built entirely of zelkova.
The Agency records a hip-and-gable pantiled roof. Look also for the chrysanthemum crests on the decorative eave tiles (Yamagata Prefecture tourism site).
Visiting
The gatehouse faces the shrine approach and can be seen from it. No interior opening has been announced.
The address is 1 Tokiwamori, Kamiwarabioka, Yuza Town. The tourism site gives about 10 minutes by car from JR Yuza Station or about 20 minutes from the Sakata-Minato interchange of the Nihonkai-Tohoku Expressway. Enquiries go to the Yuza Chokai Tourism Association (0234-72-5666).
Q&A
- When was the Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate built?
- Around 1834 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is 大泉坊 read?
- Daisenbo (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is the Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate?
- 18.68 metres long and 4.54 metres deep, with a building area of 85 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What should I look for?
- The zelkova frame, the eaves on projecting beams and the chrysanthemum crests on the eave tiles (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Yamagata Prefecture tourism site).
- When was the Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate registered?
- On June 9, 2004.
Basic Information
| Name | Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate (大泉坊長屋門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1 Tokiwamori, Kamiwarabioka, Yuza Town, Akumi District, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/06/09 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 85 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the national database |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the shrine approach (no interior opening announced) |
References
- Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00004109
- Daisenbo Nagayamon Gate (Yamagata Prefecture tourism site, Japanese)
- https://yamagatakanko.com/attractions/detail_1882.html
Last verified: 2026.10.14