Historical Monument Spots in Japan

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Japan
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  Okinawa

Category

Travel / Tourism

History / Culture / Tour

Former Main Residence of Homma Family and Villa “O-tana”

4.0

76 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Yamagata Pref. Sakatashi Nibanchou 12-13

This samurai-style villa built in 1768 by Mitsuoka Homma—the third landlord of Homma Family, wealthy merchant family of Dewa—served as lodgings for the Shogun’s inspection envoys. Featuring a combination of samurai-style and merchant-style construction, this building would be unusual anywhere in the country. The red pines are also wonderful, and are said to live over 400 years.

もともとは本間家が庄内藩に献上した日本家屋、後に拝領し本邸として使われました。ぐるっと外を回ってみましたが、やはり大きいですね。さすが本間家の建物です。
Ando Miso Soy Sauce Brewery

4.5

67 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Akita Pref. Sembokushi Kakunodatemachishimoshinmachi 27

The former miso and soy sauce brewery was founded in 1853. The brick storehouse, built in the middle of the Meiji period, gives an atmosphere of long ago. You can enter the building and view the fusuma (sliding doors), hand-painted by Nishimiya Reiwa, free of charge. In the black plastered warehouse once used for storage, you can taste miso soup and pickles. You should definitely try the additive-free, naturally produced goods.

You see many grain storage buildings, non combustible, throughout Japan, but this one really catches you attention. It is on the opposite end of town from the samurai houses.
Chidokan Shonai Domain School

4.0

72 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Yamagata Pref. Tsuruokashi Babachou 11-45

Sakai Tadaari, the ninth lord of Tsuruoka Domain, established this domain school in 1805 with the aim of reforming samurai customs and cultivating surpassing individuals. The school’s educational policy focused on further strengthening each student’s innate talents. Today, the school is a designated National Historic Site and is open to the general public; facilities such as front Mikado gate, Confucian temple, and lecture hall remain intact. This facility is the only domain school still in existence in the Tohoku region.

Amazing it is still there, the old school for young Samuraiunder King Sakai , as it used to be. Subject included localized Analects of Confucius ethics...
Ishikawa-mon Gate

4.5

7 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Ishikawa Kanazawa-shi Marunouchi 1-1 Kanazawa Jo Park Uchi

Full-fledged construction on Kanazawa Castle was begun in 1583 by samurai general Maeda Toshiie after the Battle of Shizugatake. The rear Ishikawa Gate, facing the Kenrokuen garden, was once known as the Karamete (“back”) Gate. Records state its current name is derived from the fact that it faces the direction of Ishikawa County, and today it is used by countless tourists as one of Kanazawa Castle’s main gates. The complex structure consists of the two–tier, two-story Ishikawa Yagura turret and multiple gates, and it is believed the purpose of this design was to slow enemies in the event of an invasion. At night, visitors can enjoy the beauty of the castle lit up by lights.

金沢城の東側に位置する門で、石川橋で兼六園につながっています。なかなか立派な門ですが、これでも裏門なんですね。お堀通りを歩きながらちらっと見学したので、門よりも櫓のほうが存在感がありましたが、一体的になかなか良かったです。
Egawatei (The Egawa Residence)

4.0

67 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shizuoka Pref. Izunokunishi Nirayamanirayama 1

Egawatei is the local governor’s residence where the Egawa family, descendants of Yamato Genji for over 900 years and 42 generations, resided. It has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It is located in the site of the Nirayama government office, designated a national Historical Site of Izunokuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Following the Hogen Rebellion in 1156, Uno Chikanobu, the sixth generation of the Uno family, settled in the land of Izunirayama and so began the history of the Egawa Residence. The Uno family renamed themselves as the Egawa family and served as local governor for eleven generations during the Edo period. The main building is a single story building with a half-hipped roof. There are lots of things to see such as the quake-absorbing geometric lattice-work of the roof, and the ‘live pillars’ where trees have been used in the construction of the building.

沼津に行ったついでに、韮山反射炉を造った江川邸を初訪問す。今回、建築した韮山代官江川栄龍の偉業職責を展示した江川邸を初訪問する。母屋は、保全建設中であり、建物全体が観えず残念なり。しかし、無料観光ガイドが、丁寧に説明くださり感謝す。柱や梁は、４００年経過してるという。木材が、そんなに持つとは思いませんでした。江川栄龍は６尺：１８０㎝と長身で、引き戸はの高さは、１５０ｃｍくらいで、当人は、猫背になる...
Former Nozaki Family Residence

4.0

46 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Kojimajino 1-11-19

This historical monument is located in the Kojima Ajino 1 Chome area of Kurashiki City. One of the houses of Nozaki Buzaemon who built his fortune in the salt-making industry in the late Edo period (1603–1868), it is a designated prefectural historic site. On the approximately 10,000 square meter premises, there are also the nationally-designated important cultural properties “Former Nozaki Family Residence” and several “dozo-gun” storehouses. In addition, it also exhibits materials as the “Nozaki Family Residence Salt Experience Museum.”

This is amazing - not just the scale but natural beauty of buildings / gardens. The owner had a vision and created an ancestral home- Downton Abbey Japan - style; even can see how the servants worked...
Kami Haga Residence and Wax Museum

4.5

58 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Ehime Pref. Kitagunuchikochou Uchiko 2696

This historical building of 1894, now open as a museum, was once the residence of Kami Haga family, the main branch family of the Hon Haga family, one of the largest domestic wax producers in the country. There are ten main buildings on the grounds including the main house and annexes, and boiler room, designated as a National Important Cultural Property. Inside the residence is an exhibition space, and materials related to mokuro (Japan tallow) production and bleaching mokuro in Uchiko district are displayed.

This wax museum was very interesting. There was some English signage which gave us enough understanding. Worth a look.
Bluff No. 18

4.0

61 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Kanagawa Pref. Yokohamashi Naka-ku Yamatechou 16

Bluff No.18 was built during the Taisho period (1912-1926) and was once the residence of Australian trader, Mr. Bowden. It was later used as a priest's residence of the Catholic Yamate Church, and in 1991, the building materials were donated to the City of Yokohama. In 1993, it was moved to the Yamate Italian Garden and restored, and has been open to the public. The house reproduces lifestyle of foreigner's houses after the Great Kanto Earthquake, and the Yokohama furniture that was manufactured in Motomachi at that time is restored and exhibited.

イタリア山庭園内にあり、こちらも無料で入館可能です。建物の雰囲気も山手の景観にしっくりきていて、とてもいい雰囲気を感じる事が出来ると思います。
Yamate Bluff No.111

4.0

64 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Kanagawa Pref. Yokohamashi Naka-ku Yamatechou 111

Yamate Bluff No.111 built in 1926 is a European residence in the Spanish style which has a red tiled roof and white walls. The basement entered from the rose garden in Minato-no-Mieru Oka Koen (Harbor View Park) is used as a tea room. It is about seven minutes’ walk from Exit 6 at Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Tokyu Minatomirai Line.

This house was designed by JH Morgan who also designed Berrick Hall. It was the residence of an American (JE Laffin) and is another in the Spanish style and was built in 1926. Entry to the house and...
The English House

4.0

61 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Hyogo Pref. Koubeshi Chuou-ku Kitanochou 2-3-16

This is a Western settler’s home planned and built by British doctor Fudersack. It is a typical colonial construction with beautiful veranda, and inside the furnishings are elegant items from the 17th to 19th Century. There is also a room which is a reconstruction of the dwellings of famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The beautiful English garden is a sight to behold, as is the reconstruction of London’s Baker Street underground station. At night the place becomes an English pub where alcohol of the world can be enjoyed. The nearest station is Shin-Kobe Station.

I’ve been a few times to The English House and it has always been delightful. This was my first time ordering food from there (lockdown rules!) and it was simply superb! All the food travelled...
Takuboku Newlyweds' House

3.5

66 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Iwate Pref. Moriokashi Chuoudori 3-17-18

Takuboku Newlyweds' House is a historic building in the city of Morioka in Iwate Prefecture. The poet Ishikawa Takuboku lived here for three weeks with his wife Setsuko, his parents, and his younger sister. In 1984, it was named a Morioka City Designated Tangible Cultural Property. It is the building where Takuboku wrote his essay, My Four-and-a-Half Mat Room, and it is the only extant relic of his life in the city of Morioka.

You can freely enter this residence. When I went there were only a couple other people there. So I had the house to myself for the most part. It was a peaceful place. The condition was just ok...
Kanzo-Yashiki, the Old Takano Home

4.0

42 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Yamanashi Pref. Koushushi Enzankamiozo 1651-15

This old estate was the residence of the Takano family, who provided the medical herb used to make licorice for the Shogunate during the Edo period. Also known as kanzo-yashiki, or licorice estate, its exterior remains the way it looked in the late Edo period. It is notable for the two-tier raised roof in the middle of its gabled roof. Every spring, it hosts a Hina-kazari to Momo no Hana Matsuri (Hina Decoration and Peach Flower Festival). During the festival, the home is decorated by many gorgeous hina dolls, including hanging hina decorations, kyoho-bina, and kokin-bina.

”甘草屋敷の高野家住宅”はこの地で長百姓（おさびゃくしょう）を務めた家柄で、代々「伊兵衛」を名乗り、幕末には名主として名字帯刀が許されていたそうです。旧家の前の庭には、畑が広がっています。ここが”甘草”が栽培されていた畑です。高野家は江戸時代初期頃より薬草である甘草の栽培を始め、幕府御用として栽培と管理が命ぜられたので”甘草屋敷”と呼ばれるようになったそうです。納得！高野家住宅の特徴で...
Shikido

3.5

61 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Ehime Pref. Matsuyamashi Suehiromachi 16-3

Located on the grounds of Shosouji Temple, this is a reconstruction of the place where famous Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki lived until he was 17. There’s a recreation of his study as well, and his desk, calligraphy, and personal articles are on display. In the plaza out front, you’ll also find the “Bocchan train,” which is the oldest extant light locomotive.

松山市駅から近くです。子規が松山で住んでいた家を移築したようです。はでさはないのですが、子規が仲間を食べ物にたとえた評は面白いですね。
Tomioka Silk Mill

Travel / Tourism

Gunma Pref. Tomiokashi Tomioka 1-1

When Japan first began trading with countries around the world in the late Edo period, silk was its biggest export. The Tomioka Silk Mill was founded as a model mill in 1872 by the Meiji government with the aim of improving the quality and productivity of silk production. The first buildings were timber-frame and brick construction, a pattern which continues to be used almost unchanged today. The site is filled with ways to learn about its history, including guided tours and a smartphone guide. The group of buildings from the time when the mill was first opened is designated Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures and was also collectively registered as a World Heritage Site in 2014.
Ryukoku University, Omiya Campus

4.5

22 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Kyoto Prefecture Kyoto City Shimogyo Ward Shichyori Omiya Higashi-carpenter 125-1

The Omiya Campus of Ryukoku University is a historic building located in Kyoto's Shimogyo Ward. At the beginning, it was a Buddhist seminary connected with Nishi Honganji Temple, but in 1879, built to contain lecture halls when Ryukoku became a university under the reforms of the educational system. It incorporates both Japanese and Western elements, and the Japanese government has designated it an Important Cultural Property. It is used for devotions, Buddhist lectures, other university activities, and Buddhist weddings.

This is a private university and spreading with several campuses in the city center. Each campus has a nice and unique architectural design and is itself a landmark or icon. The university was setup...
Hokkaido Governor’s Official Residence

4.0

53 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Hokkaido Sapporoshi Chuou-ku Kitaichijounishi 16-chome

The Hokkaido Governor’s Official Residence is a designated National Registered Tangible Cultural Property. It was built using the half-timbered construction method, and the red color of the exposed posts and beams contrasts strikingly with the white lime plaster. The garden, with its beautiful green lawns, is open to the public from spring through to autumn; on sunny days, it is a great place for a stroll.

The Governors mansion is in a very pleasant park, with a stream running through it. The park is well looked after. The mansion is striking, it also has a collection of interesting curios, It is...
Meimei-an

4.0

53 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shimane Pref. Matsueshi Kitahorichou 278

Meimei-an is a teahouse built in the main residence of the Arisawa family to the liking of the seventh lord of the Matsue Domain, Matsudaira Fumai, who was well known as being a master in the tea ceremony. After having been moved a number of times, it was relocated to its current location, Shiomi Nawate, in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, in 1966. The modest building without any central pillars has a gabled, hipped roof of thick thatch and its unusual style, much loved by Fumai, is apparent. In the separate building, Hyakusotei, matcha green tea and sweets can be enjoyed while looking out over the garden.

Like other Japanese teahouses, visitors can enjoy matcha and confectionaries along with looking at a beautiful Japanese garden. But visitors can also see a very old wooden little teahouse which is...
Keiunkan

4.0

35 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Minatochou 2-5

A historic building located in Minato-cho, Nagahama City. The building was built with funds provided by local businessman Asami Matazo to accommodate Emperor Meiji when he stopped by Nagahama while returning to Tokyo after visiting Kyoto in 1886. The building is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.

京阪神の新快速電車内では、新春を迎えると長浜盆梅展のお知らせが目に付きます。盆梅とは盆栽の梅が咲くものです。その盆梅展が開かれるのが慶雲館で、庭が立派です。
Yamate Bluff No.234

4.0

55 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Kanagawa Pref. Yokohamashi Naka-ku Yamatechou 234-1

Yamate Bluff No.234, built as a part of a reconstruction project after the Great Kanto Earthquake to bring back the foreigners who had left Yokohama, is a residential complex (apartment building) with the typical design of a European residence after the earthquake. On the first floor, it has panel displays about the history of a restored drawing room and Yamate Bluff No.234 while the second floor is used as a rental floor for exhibitions and conferences. It is about seven minutes’ walk from Exit 6 at Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Tokyu Minatomirai Line.

「山手234番館」は、関東大震災直後（昭和初期）に建設された外国人用の共同住宅として、横浜市内に現存する数少ない遺構のひとつです。建物の敷地は山手本通りを挟んで元町公園の向かい側にあり、周辺に「横浜山手聖公会」の教会堂や、元町公園内に移築された「エリスマン邸」、「山手89-6番館」（現「えの木てい」）など、歴史的建造物が数多く点在する一帯にあります。創建当時の施設は、4世帯の住居が中央部の玄関ポ...
Yokiso

4.0

53 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Aichi Pref. Nagoyashi Chikusa-ku Hououchou 2-5-17

Yokiso is a representative work of a suburban vacation home close to Nagoya built on large premises of approximately 33,100 square meters that utilizes the terrain and surrounding nature. The villa was built by Ito Jirozaemon Suketami, the first president of Matsuzakaya Company, over a period spanning from the Taisho period to the Showa period, and five buildings that are designated as cultural assets and a garden remain today. Here one can sense the history of Nagoya as it was used as a reception hall and a place for social gatherings in the past. It is approximately 10 minutes on foot from Kakuozan Station on the subway’s Higashiyama Line.

松坂屋創業者の邸宅と広大な庭園跡地。近くまで来たので寄ってみました。現在は一般に開放されており、北園は無料ですので、気軽に入れます。何名かスタッフさんがいて、誘導してくださいます。（案内などは特になし）５月の新緑と花々に癒されました。小さな稲荷神社や池にかかる橋もあり、平日でしたが来場者が写真を撮ったり、ベンチに座っておしゃべりしたりして、のんびりした空気が漂います。気分転換になりました☆