What the Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall Is
The Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall (中野家住宅門及び塀, Nakano-ke Jūtaku Mon oyobi Hei) is a late Taisho-era gate and wall in Shimoichi, Heki-kami, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 6, 2024.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Taisho era, 1919 to 1926. The gate is timber with a tiled roof and an opening 1.6 metres wide; the wall is timber with a tiled roof and runs 36 metres in total. It is registered as a structure rather than a building.
It runs along the east side of the property, the wall extending north and south from the gate to separate the compound from a side lane.
Why It Was Registered
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency notes that the gate is plain, but that together with the wall it gives the east side of the property its formal front.
If the shop on the old road is the compound's public face, the Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall is its face toward the lane. It dates from the same late Taisho years as the annex and tea house, and can be read as part of the same effort to give the compound a fitting setting for receiving guests.
What to Look For
The gate is a one-bay Yakuimon under a pantiled roof. A beam spans between the main posts and the rear posts, and a short strut on that beam carries the ridge. The eaves use a single row of widely spaced Taruki rafters, a deliberately simple finish.
The wall on either side stands on a stone base built up to about waist height, with a tiled coping matching the gate. The stone line and tile line run on together for 36 metres and hold the lane together visually.
Stand in the lane and look up at the gate; the national database includes photographs taken from exactly that spot.
Visiting
The Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall forms the outer edge of the compound and can be seen from the lane. The property itself is not open on a regular basis, and as of September 2026 no scheduled openings had been announced.
Do not step through the gate, and do not block the lane, which residents use. The layout of the compound, past openings and directions from Nagato-Furuichi Station are on the Nakano Family Residence (Heki, Nagato) page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamaguchi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall
- [ Kintaikyo Bridge & Hagi Castle Town Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Taisho era (1919 to 1926). It was registered on March 6, 2024.
- How big is the Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- The gate opening is 1.6 metres wide and the wall runs 36 metres in total.
- What type of gate is the Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- A one-bay yakuimon gate, with a strut on the beam between the main and rear posts carrying the ridge, under a pantiled roof.
- Why was the Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall registered?
- It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape; the simple gate and the wall together set the formal east front of the property.
- Can I see the Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall?
- Yes, from the lane on the east side of the compound. Please do not go through the gate.
Basic Information
| Name | Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 6057 Shimoichi, Heki-kami, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2024/3/6 (Reiwa 6), registration no. 35-0119 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Gate: timber, tiled roof, width 1.6 metres; Wall: timber, tiled roof, total length 36 metres |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (privately owned) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00014957
- Yamaguchi Prefecture Cultural Properties: Nakano Family Residence Gate and Wall
- https://bunkazai.pref.yamaguchi.lg.jp/bunkazai/summary.asp?mid=110243
Last verified: 2026.09.24
