Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Garden
Encyclopedia
is located in Taitō, Tokyo
. It is the former estate of the Iwasaki clan
who were the founders of Mitsubishi
; the name Kyu-Iwasaki-tei means Old Iwasaki house. The premises have three buildings: a Western-style house designed by British architect Josiah Conder
, a Japanese house and a billiard house, and cover an area of about 17,000 square metres.
, and were the site of their Edo residence. The property passed to the Makino family of the Maizuru clan in the early Meji Era. In 1896, Hisaya Iwasaki
, son of the founder of the Mitsubishi group
, Yataro Iwasaki, purchased this land — three years after becoming Mitsubishi's third president. The premises became the official residence of the Iwasaki family.
Hisaya Iwasaki hired the British architect, Josiah Conder
, who designed a two-story Western-style main building and the Swiss-style billiards house. The whole project actually consisted of more than 20 buildings on 49,500 m² property.
After World War II
, the residence was confiscated by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
and after it was returned it was used as the Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court
until 1970.
Of all that was built, only the Western-style mansion, the billiards house, and one Japanese-style structure remain — victim first to the US occupation, but more to the Japanese Department of Justice, which demolished nearly all the Japanese-style housing. The present grounds are now less than half their original size.
In 1961, the main mansion was saved by being recognized as an Important Cultural Asset
status. This was extended to the whole property in 1999. Since 2001, it has been administered by the Tokyo metropolitan government
.
in the 17-th century, which incorporates Islamic motifs
of the Renaissance
. On the south side of the building, there is a veranda with a colonnade
. The second-story colonnade is in the Ionian style
of the Pennsylvania
country house. The reason is that Hisaya Iwasaki had just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania
.
Billiards house was designed to be reminiscent of a Swiss mountain chalet
, a style very rarely seen in Japan
. This building is made completely of wood, it features log walls with carved pillar
s and a roof with protruding eaves
, a design that shows signs of Gothic style. It is connected to the main residence by an underground passageway.
Japanese-style building was integrated with the Western-style residence. At the time the building was completed, the total floor space amounted to 1,815 m2, making it nearly comparable in size to the Western-style building. There exist screen
s and fusuma sliding door
paintings done by a well-known painter of the period, Hashimoto Gaho
.
The garden may now be little more than a lawn. The elements in the garden that still exist from the Edo Period
include some stone monuments, lanterns and a stone hand-washing basin.
The garden is located approximately 3 minutes' walk from Yushima Station
.
Taito, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Taito City.As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 168,909, with 94,908 households, and a population density of 16,745.86 persons per km². The total area is 10.08 km².-History:The ward was founded...
. It is the former estate of the Iwasaki clan
Iwasaki
Iwasaki is a Japanese surname.-People:*Akira Iwasaki - Japanese film critic and producer.*Chihiro Iwasaki - Japanese illustrator.*Fukuzo Iwasaki - Japanese real estate magnate and chairman of Iwasaki Sangyo Group....
who were the founders of Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
; the name Kyu-Iwasaki-tei means Old Iwasaki house. The premises have three buildings: a Western-style house designed by British architect Josiah Conder
Josiah Conder (architect)
Josiah Conder was a British architect who worked as a foreign advisor to the government of Meiji period Japan...
, a Japanese house and a billiard house, and cover an area of about 17,000 square metres.
History
The grounds were originally owned by the Sakakibara family of the Echigo Takada Clan in the Edo PeriodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, and were the site of their Edo residence. The property passed to the Makino family of the Maizuru clan in the early Meji Era. In 1896, Hisaya Iwasaki
Iwasaki
Iwasaki is a Japanese surname.-People:*Akira Iwasaki - Japanese film critic and producer.*Chihiro Iwasaki - Japanese illustrator.*Fukuzo Iwasaki - Japanese real estate magnate and chairman of Iwasaki Sangyo Group....
, son of the founder of the Mitsubishi group
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
, Yataro Iwasaki, purchased this land — three years after becoming Mitsubishi's third president. The premises became the official residence of the Iwasaki family.
Hisaya Iwasaki hired the British architect, Josiah Conder
Josiah Conder (architect)
Josiah Conder was a British architect who worked as a foreign advisor to the government of Meiji period Japan...
, who designed a two-story Western-style main building and the Swiss-style billiards house. The whole project actually consisted of more than 20 buildings on 49,500 m² property.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the residence was confiscated by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
and after it was returned it was used as the Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Japan
The Supreme Court of Japan , located in Chiyoda, Tokyo is the highest court in Japan. It has ultimate judicial authority to interpret the Japanese constitution and decide questions of national law...
until 1970.
Of all that was built, only the Western-style mansion, the billiards house, and one Japanese-style structure remain — victim first to the US occupation, but more to the Japanese Department of Justice, which demolished nearly all the Japanese-style housing. The present grounds are now less than half their original size.
In 1961, the main mansion was saved by being recognized as an Important Cultural Asset
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
status. This was extended to the whole property in 1999. Since 2001, it has been administered by the Tokyo metropolitan government
Politics of Tokyo
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other prefectures. The headquarters building is in the ward of Shinjuku...
.
Buildings
Western-style residence is a two-story building constructed of wood that also has a cellar. The design is based on the Jacobean style of EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the 17-th century, which incorporates Islamic motifs
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
. On the south side of the building, there is a veranda with a colonnade
Colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building....
. The second-story colonnade is in the Ionian style
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
of the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
country house. The reason is that Hisaya Iwasaki had just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Billiards house was designed to be reminiscent of a Swiss mountain chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
, a style very rarely seen in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. This building is made completely of wood, it features log walls with carved pillar
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s and a roof with protruding eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
, a design that shows signs of Gothic style. It is connected to the main residence by an underground passageway.
Japanese-style building was integrated with the Western-style residence. At the time the building was completed, the total floor space amounted to 1,815 m2, making it nearly comparable in size to the Western-style building. There exist screen
Screen
- Separation or partitioning :* Window screen, a wire mesh that covers a window opening* Fire screen, a device to put in front of a fireplace* Windbreak of trees or shrubs* Windshield , protects the driver of a vehicle...
s and fusuma sliding door
Fusuma
In Japanese architecture, fusuma are vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as doors. They typically measure about wide by tall, the same size as a tatami mat, and are two or three centimeters thick...
paintings done by a well-known painter of the period, Hashimoto Gaho
Hashimoto Gaho
was a Japanese painter, one of the last to paint in the style of the Kanō school.Born in Edo, he studied painting under Kanō Shōsen'in, and was influenced as well by the work of Kanō Hōgai. He created many works in the traditional style of the Kanō school, using color & gold, or otherwise...
.
The garden may now be little more than a lawn. The elements in the garden that still exist from the Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
include some stone monuments, lanterns and a stone hand-washing basin.
The garden is located approximately 3 minutes' walk from Yushima Station
Yushima Station (Tokyo)
is a stop on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line located in the Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Yushima Station opened on December 20, 1969.-Station layout:There is 1-island platform, 2-way.-Adjacent stations:-Surroundings:...
.