Property:Background
From Jcastle.info
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The Kawarada clan supported the Ashina since they were in Aizu (Fukushima) and continued to support the Satake through the entire Edo Period after the Ashina died out. The current house was actually built in the Meiji Period but is representative of Edo Period samurai home construction and displays the unique shoin style architecture form this region. The Kawarada clan continued to be successful after the Edo Period working in various business, politics and education. +
Because the Iwami Ginzan (silver mines) were of great economic import, the Shogunate maintained direct control over them via the daikansho (Seat of Magistratus) in Ômori Town. Bukeyashiki (samurai residences) were also built in the town and the Kawashima-bukeyashiki, built in 1825, is an example of a higher-ranking bushi residence, is the only one of them open to the public. The Kawashima patriarchs worked as officials at the Ômori-daikansho - basically an office job. +
Keyaki-goten (Zelkova Palace), also called Hikonejō-shimoyashiki, is a daimyō residence - the remnants of a palatial complex, in fact - at Hikone Castle. Rakurakuen is the name of the garden surrounding the shoin (drawing room) and adjoining buildings, including the Rakuraku-no-ma. The neighbouring garden (there's not much to separate them) is Genkyūen, but the gardens are often paired together, and are listed a special scenic area under the name Genkyūrakurakuen.
The Keyaki Palace and Genkyuen Gardens were built by Ii Naooki as the Ii family residence from 1677-1679. After the death of Naooki, the palace was downsized by order of the Tokugawa, but was significantly renovated and expanded by Ii Naonaka upon his retirement in 1812. The beautiful goshoin (palatial drawing room) dates to this time. Remaining structures represent about a tenth of this zenith.
The surrounding gardens, the Genkyū(rakuraku)en, are a valuable example of a daimyō garden. Rakurakuen is a play on words in Japanese from 山を楽しみ、水を楽しみ (enjoy the mountains, enjoy the waters). The Kanji for enjoy (楽しみ tanoshimi) can also be read as 'raku'. Much of this area was built on reclaimed land. The waters of Lake Biwa came much closer to the palace so you could enjoy the mountains in the distance and the waters up close.
Keyaki-goten complex contains the genkan (entrance parlour) hall, connected to the goshoin by the suzu-no-ma ('bell room'). In turn, the goshoin is connected directly to the yakusho-no-ma and the kyoma (living room). And then, via a 'T'-shaped corridor, these are connected to the shinzashiki (another living room) and the suzume-no-ma ('sparrow room'). In turn, the suzume-no-ma is contiguous with the jishin-no-ma ('earthquake room'), which in turn is directly connected to the okaru-no-ma and the kōcha-no-ma ('black tea room'). The latter is adjoined to the rai-no-ma ('lightning room').
From there, our dreamy little archipelago of buildings becomes more spread out, and a series of covered walkways connects us to, in turn, the rakuraku-no-ma ('relaxation room'), shin-higashi-no-ma ('new east room'), shin-nishi-no-ma ('new west room') (those two conjoined), nio-no-ma ('little grebe room'), and finally the matsu-no-ma ('pine room'). The surrounding garden is the rakurakuen, and the idyllic little buildings appear to float above it on small hills, rocky outcroppings, and even a latticework of hanging beams.
There is another complex of buildings in the Genkyūen, also originally part of the Keyaki-goten, I believe. Some of these are currently open to the public as teahouses. The view of these thatched-roof buildings with the ramparts and donjon of the castle rising above is stunning.
From the Meiji Period until 1994 the Keyaki Palace was operated as a ryokan (Japanese Inn) before it was given back to the city due to its age and deterioration. There is an extensive 20 year plan to restore these buildings for re-opening in 2025, but due to COVID induced delays, the completion date is not yet finalized. In the meanwhile, the Goshoin and connected buildings you see in the pictures below are open once a year in either summer or autumn for about 10 days.
The Kido-bukeyashiki, a samurai residence located in the Kachimachi neighbourhood of the castle town of Tanba-Sasayama, is inhabited to this day and not open to the public. It has a high earthen wall and gate and so only its roof can be seen from the road. This is now covered in metal sheeting to preserve the thatching underneath. +
Kido Takayoshi was a pivotal figure in the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate and a key architect of the Meiji Restoration. A disciple of Yoshida Shōin, he played a crucial role in modernizing Japan. He was one of the sponsors of the Chōshū Five ([[Hagi Castle Town#~The Revolutionaries~|see details]]) and worked alongside Saigō Takamori and Ōkubo Toshimichi to overthrow the Tokugawa regime. After the fall of the Tokugawa in 1868, Kido played a key role in establishing the new imperial government.
The house we see today is over 250 years old and served as Kido’s birthplace. Born here in 1833, he lived in this residence until 1852, when he moved to Edo. In 1856, he returned to Hagi to contribute to the construction of Japan’s first modern warship ([[Hagi Castle Town#~Industrialization~|see details]]). The house is a relatively large size compared to others of lower rank in Hagi. One of its most intriguing features is a hidden second floor, designed to be concealed from the street. +
This low-ranking bukeyashiki (samurai home) was relocated from the Kitafukashi district of the old castle town of Matsumoto. It is known primarily as the birthplace of Kinoshita Naoe (木下尚江), author of such works as Zange (懺悔, Repentance) and Hi no Hashira (火の柱, Pillar of Fire), who was born in 1869. If not for such a famous son I suspect this precious house, dating to the late Edo period, would've been demolished long ago. Naoe's father was Kinoshita Renzaemon (木下廉左衛門), a samurai of the Matsumoto Domain who worked as a policeman, and he was the last samurai patriarch of the home. The structure was relocated to the Matsumoto History Village (also called the Matsumoto out-door architectural museum) in 1983. +
One the Seri-gumi divisions of ashigaru in Hikone, the Kitagawa Residence has only undergone very minor remodeling and the addition of a small room off the back in the intervening years, making it one of the better preserved Ashigaru homes that are now private residences. It is an important link to understanding their construction and preserving these homes for the future.. +
This samurai residence is in particularly bad shape. The walls are crumbling and the house seems to be dilapidated beyond repair. From what I could see of the house by peeking through the cracks it seems to be gutted with no windows. +
This is certainly one of the best samurai homes I've visited. It's also one of the oldest, dating back to 1730. The house, gates and walls were donated to the city by the Koseki family in 1992 and has been restored to it's original form. +
The Kuchiba Residence is the only surviving original home of a high-ranking samurai (上級武士) in Hagi. The Kuchiba were the second highest ranking samurai after the senior retainers (家老). This senior position may also be reflected in their enviable residence location with a beautiful view on the banks of the river and at one end of the Horiuchi Kaimagari (personal opinion). When the Mōri clan relocated to Yamaguchi, the Kuchiba family remained in Hagi, entrusted with the domain’s administration. As a result, their residence was maintained throughout the Edo period.
As the only extant upper-class samurai residence in Hagi, the Kuchiba home offers valuable insights into the architecture of these upper class homes. One notable indicator of status is its higher ceilings, which set it apart from other surviving residences in the city. One of the home’s distinctive features is a small “hidden” room situated between the two main rooms, where a guard may have been stationed. Above the doorway, weapon hooks with sodegarami, naginata, and other weapons are on display, suggesting a readiness for defense.
The nagayamon (row gatehouse), which served as a guard station, stable, and storage area, remains an important feature. While the Kuchiba Residence’s website claims that its nagayamon is the largest in Hagi, a comparison with those of the Suu Residence, Asa Mori Residence, Kodama Residence, and Hanzawa Residence suggests otherwise. It is likely the claim refers to the largest nagayamon still attached to an existing residence rather than the largest overall.
Though the main house may appear small for a high-ranking samurai residence, it is important to note that only the original sections remain. Over time, other structures were demolished or rebuilt, but in 1974, when the residence was designated an Important Cultural Property, only the original Edo-period sections were preserved.
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The Kurosawa Residence was originally in the Sannomaru Bailey of Kubota Castle near to the main entrance. Most upper class samurai families lived in this area which also acted as a defense for the castle. The buildings were moved from downtown Akita to a nearby park in 1988 after it was donated to the city. The house dates to the early 1800's and the gate to the mid 1700's. The storehouses are from the side 1800's. The house itself is untouched since the Edo Period, unlike many places that were renovated, added on to or otherwise modified over the years.
Unfortunately, it is not well advertised and is somewhat difficult to get to so they suffer from not getting enough visitors. If you're in Akita, it is well worth your time to visit. This is probably the most complete and original upper class samurai residence in Japan and naturally designated as an Important Cultural Property. +
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The oldest residence in Matsushiro. The Maejima clan were loyal retainers of the Sanada from early times. Family members are also said to have served with Masayuki and Nobushige at Kudoyama. The Maejima lived in this house until the early 1900's. It is a Prefectural Treasure. +
Ohama-goten ('Honourable Beach Palace'), more properly known as the Matsubara-shimoyashiki ('Lower Residence in Matsubara'), was built by Ii Naonaka, the lord of Hikone Domain and the father of Ii Naosuke, in 1810. In recent years the preserved residence has been infrequently opened to the public. I took such an opportunity to visit; the gardens and premises were open though none of the buildings could be entered.
The landscape garden, a locally designated cultural asset since 2000 as a rare remnant of a daimyō garden, I admittedly found a little lacklustre, but it is apparently best viewed in autumn. It's also said to be unique in that it has the only fresh water pond which sees the water level rise and fall with the tide - namely that of Lake Biwa. Originally four tea pavilions were positioned around the garden, but none of these remain. There was also once four bridges spanning the pond, and a sotetsu (cycad palm), also now gone.
I was mostly concerned with the residential architecture which survives - though some of it is in need of some tender loving care, as they say (parts of the residence were under scaffolding during my visit). There are several living halls and kura (storehouses). The halls include the oku-zashiki (inner living room) and daidokoro (kitchen), dating to the Edo period. There is also a bansho (guardhouse) and nagaya (rowhouse). There was originally a shoin (drawing room), boathouse, and a large kabukimon for the main gate, but sadly these are now lost. The striking genkan (entrance parlour) and ôhiroma (great hall) weren't added until 1889. In the Meiji period the Ii Clan retired from their roles as feudal lords and made Ohama-goten their regular residence. +
The 'Matsudaira Samurai Residence' in the castle town of Obata is located on the main street which leads up to the castle, bounded by stone walls. Ôoku, its name in Japanese, refers to the inner chambers of a palace or residence. The site is partially open to the public, though there is little to see. An explanation board stands beyond the gate, which, open, invites one in, but then much of the property is barred to the public. The explanation offered dwells on the garden, which was landscaped in the Edo Period, but casual visitors may only expect a glimpse of it. The garden is centered around a still pond without any flowing water, emphasising silence. The house is still lived in and I spoke to one of the inhabitants. The annex of the house adjacent to the garden appears to be the ôoku, or part of it, and it is said that the lady of the house kept her chambermaids here. It is further said that the Shōgun had 15 or so court ladies evacuated during the arrival of Commodore Perry in Edo Bay, and that they stayed here, thus 'Ôoku'. +
Built in 1730, this is one of the oldest and more opulent samurai homes I've been to. For a middle class samurai, the Shiomi family had a fairly high salary of 1000 koku of rice. The residence includes a main house and a large front nagayamon gatehouse with rooms for servants. The house contains many displays of arms and household goods from the Edo Period that display the lifestyle of the samurai class.
The generic naming of this site "Buke Yashiki" by the city is unfortunate because bukeyashiki simply means "samurai residence". +
This lower class samurai residence was located in an area surrounded by ashigaru and other lower class samurai. The thick thatch roof of the house today retains an historic atmosphere of a rustic samurai home. The owners of the home were associated with the Imamiya clan who came to Akita with the Satake. Demonstrations of traditional crafts that weave thinly cut maple wood together can be seen during the open months. +
Two rowhouses, or nagaya, housing 10 and 9 apartments each, were built in the Sannomaru Bailey. They housed 20 castle guards and their families. To this day they are still maintained by the descendants of those who originally lived here and 12 of the apartments are rented out. One of them is rented by the city and open to public viewing. Ashigaru nagaya, like this, are exceedingly rare. Two of them in their original condition and location make them an especially important artifact preserving the castle town atmosphere. Like the [[Shibata Ashigaru Nagaya]], this is also an Important Cultural Property. +
This hall is the okuzashiki (inner living rooms) of the Matsushiro-han Edo nakayashiki (middle mansion), relocated to the Kakeyu-onsen town from Edo via Matsushiro Domain. The original location of the Matsushiro-han Edo nakayashiki was where the American embassy's residential quarters stand today in Azabu, Tōkyō. It was relocated to Saku County during the Pacific War, perhaps to spare it from air raids.
This hall was relocated here from Edo and used as part of an inn in the hot-spring resort of Kakeyu, under the name Tenryūkaku (Heavenly Dragon Pavilion). The signboards with large painted characters on the wall of the property read: Sanada-ke Edo ōgon kamiyashiki (Sanada Family Edo Golden Upper Mansion). This would imply that this is the kamiyashiki (upper mansion) of the Sanada Clan in Edo, rather than nakayashiki (middle mansion). The kamiyashiki was located where the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has its annex building today. However, all remotely credible sources identify it as part of the clan's nakayashiki, specifically the okuzasahiki, or inner living hall. Whilst a lord's family lived in the kamiyashiki, retirees and heirs inhabited the nakayashiki. +
Matsūra-bukeyashiki is located behind the garden Rakusan'en, away from the other bukeyashiki (samurai residences) of Obata-jin'ya. The Matsūra family, whose patriarch served as a high-ranking retainer (specifically a chūrō, which was something like chief lieutenant, though the exact position varied from domain to domain) of the domain, moved into the home in 1867, but the residence is thought to have been built between the middle 18th century and the early 19th century. The main house and garden survive from the Edo period. The residence was extensively restored in the Heisei period. What with its luxuriant garden, the Matsūra-bukeyashiki is a fine example of a high-ranking bushi's family home in a smaller fiefdom. +
This middle class samurai residence is believed to have been built in the late 18th century. The Kagawa Residence Nagayamon (row-gatehouse) is also located nearby, but does not have an omoya (main house). I didn't realise that this fine house existed until I stumbled upon it! The yellow walls are very fetching. This is one of the many treasures of Iwakuni which is overshadowed by the reconstructed keep on the mount. I advise not missing this site if you visit the castle. Visitors are free to walk around the garden, but the house cannot be entered. +
