🗺️ Old Iwasaki Villa Garden旧岩崎邸庭園

Built in the 20th year of the Meiji era (1896), this was the residence of Iwasaki Yasuya, the third head of the Iwasaki family, who founded the Mitsubishi Group. The current building and garden have been renovated into a Tokyo Metropolitan Garden. At that time, there were 20 buildings on a site of approximately 15,000 tsubo. Today, only three buildings remain: the Western-style mansion, the Japanese-style building, and the billiard room, along with the garden. The Western-style mansion is a two-story wooden structure with a basement, designed by the renowned British architect Josiah Conder. It represents modern Japanese residential Western wooden architecture, with Jacobean-style decorations visible throughout the interior that should not be missed. The billiard room, also designed by Conder, is a wooden building in the style of a Swiss chalet, which was quite rare in Japan at that time. Additionally, the Japanese-style building attached to the mansion is said to have been constructed by the famous craftsman Oka Kijuro of that era. These structures have been designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan, serving as valuable remnants for understanding the architecture of residences from that period.

The residence of Iwasaki Kyuya, the third head of the Iwasaki family, has been renovated into a metropolitan garden. It was designed by Joshua Conder, who had a profound impact on the history of modern Japanese architecture. The Western-style building, Japanese-style building, and billiard room are all designated important cultural properties of the nation.