Suga Family Gate (Suga Nagaya-mon)

Overview

The Suga Nagaya-mon is the gate of the Suga family residence located in the Chôfu Castle Town area of Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Suga family, invited from Kyoto by Mōri Hidemoto, the founder of the Chôfu Domain, was a prestigious family that served as physicians and lecturers for generations. While differing in style from typical samurai residences, this gate is a precious building perfectly preserved in its original state. During the Tenpō era, the Chôfu Mōri Domain issued the "Datsuhō Uraka Naka Ittō Ie Sakutei-sho," which restricted the construction of houses based on the social standing of the retainers. The characteristic feature of the Chôfu Castle Town is the arrangement of gates, long gates and the connecting plastered walls and stone walls, and the landscaping inside, facing the street. The typical method involved creating earthworks, building stone walls, and then constructing clay walls on top, often with only a single coat of plaster; rarely were they finished with whitewash. The Suga Nagaya-mon is one of the buildings that symbolizes the townscape of Chôfu Castle Town. It offers a glimpse into history and provides invaluable insights into the lifestyles and architectural styles of the time. When exploring Chôfu Castle Town, be sure to visit the Suga Nagaya-mon.