A Sixteen-Metre Fence Behind the House
The Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence (小嶋総本店北板塀) is a timber fence of about 1919 enclosing the north garden of the main house at the Kojima Sohonten sake brewery in Honmachi, Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 6 March 2024. Its registration number, 06-0221, is the last of the brewery's twelve.
It runs 16 metres along the northeast edge of the lot and stands 2.2 metres high, turning south at its eastern end to meet the house. The coping is sheathed in copper. Like the gate and fence at the front, it was classed by the Council for Cultural Affairs as a structure.
Where the front gate and fence close the garden on the east, this one closes the garden at the back, so the house is screened on two sides by fences of the same date.
Built Like the Front Fence
The Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence was registered for its contribution to the historic townscape, and the official description credits it with tightening up the north side of the compound.
It sits on a cut-stone footing and a timber sill. Vertical boards are fixed alternately to both faces of four rails in yamato-uchi fashion, exactly the method used on the front fence.
The telling detail is at the northeast corner, where the two runs of coping cross and project outward, finished in the upturned bird-perch shape. The same flourish appears on the front gate, a small signature repeated at both ends of the house.
What to Look For
Walk to the northeast corner of the block. The crossed coping ends jut past the corner and lift at the tip, and from below they read almost like the eaves of a miniature roof.
At 2.2 metres the fence stands a head taller than most passers-by, so the garden stays hidden and the eye stays on the boards and the level line of the stone footing.
Visiting
The Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence is visible from the public road, which is also where photographs must be taken. The garden and house behind it are private.
The brewery opens its working areas once a year during the 360° Yonezawa Open Factory.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamagata
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence
- [ Yamadera Temple & Zao Onsen Hot Springs ]
Q&A
- Where is the Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence?
- At the northeast edge of the Kojima Sohonten lot, enclosing the north garden of the main house and turning south to meet it. It is visible from the public road.
- How long is the Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence?
- It runs 16 metres and stands 2.2 metres high, built of timber with copper-sheathed coping.
- When was the Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence built?
- About 1919. It was registered on 6 March 2024.
- What is special about the Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence?
- At the northeast corner the coping runs cross and project, finished in an upturned bird-perch shape, and the boards are fixed yamato-uchi style to both faces of four rails.
- Is there a sake tour or tasting near the Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence?
- The Honmachi compound where the Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence stands is normally closed, but the brewery's museum, Toko no Sakagura, a few minutes' walk away in Omachi, offers exhibits on sake-making and paid tastings. Check the Kojima Sohonten website for current hours and admission.
Basic Information
| Name | Kojima Sohonten North Board Fence (小嶋総本店北板塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 752 Honmachi 2-chome, Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2024/03/06 (Reiwa 6) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, copper coping, 16 metres long |
| Owner | Kojima Sohonten Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the public road (grounds closed) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — 小嶋総本店北板塀
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014727
- Agency for Cultural Affairs press release — Council for Cultural Affairs report on registered buildings, 24 November 2023
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/koho_hodo_oshirase/hodohappyo/93969901.html
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — List of buildings recommended for registration, 24 November 2023 (PDF)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/koho_hodo_oshirase/hodohappyo/pdf/93969901_03.pdf
- Toko / Kojima Sohonten — Access
- https://www.sake-toko.co.jp/access/
- Toko / Kojima Sohonten — 360° Yonezawa Open Factory notice
- https://www.sake-toko.co.jp/news/4592/
Last verified: 2026.09.25
