Nagaya+Gate

A nagaya gate, or nagaya-mon, is basically a long house gate that was previously used as a home to lower-class samurai. Many date back to the Edo period and it allows traffic from one side of the building to the other. There are several located throughout Japan but the one located in Iwakuni is owned by the Kagawa family, previously being the Kikkawa principle samurai retainers. In Kikko park, the wooden gate can be found at the front of their residence. It was built by Masatsune Kagawa in 1693 and is in great condition still.

Currently, the nagaya-mon is regarded as an important cultural building to this area. It was home to one of the five Karou and is also well-known for that reason. It has been well maintained and so well preserved that it has been remembered highly for just that. The extremely thick construction only makes it more remarkable. The gate is still there today but does not allow anyone inside. With this, it can still be viewed for its wonderful state.