Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens has largest Western and Japanese style residences side by side and is located just south of Ueno (itself a major sightseeing spot with it’s own Tokyo Metropolitan Garden and several National Museums and Zoo).

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Background and History of Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens

Iwasaki Hisaya, the 3rd president of Mitsubishi and the eldest son of Iwasaki Yataro, the founder of the group, built Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens as his main residence in 1896. In those days, as many as 20 buildings were arranged on the site. But, at present, it has been reduced to 1/3 of its original size, with only 3 buildings, namely the western residence, billiard room and Japanese residence. The western residence and billiard room were designed by Josiah Condor, who also designed Kyu-Furukawa Gardens. On the other hand, the Japanese building, connected to the western-style building, was reportedly done by Okawa Kijyuro who had helped to build many residences for magnates of political and business circles as the master carpenter.

Features and Sights to See

Western residence at Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens

This building was completed n 1896. It has many features of the 17th century Jacobean style everywhere, along with elements of the British Renaissance style and some Islamic motifs. The south side of the building is a columned veranda (following the colonial style developed in South East Asia), and columns on the 1st and 2nd floors have features of Tuscan and Ionian styles respectively. The 1st floor veranda is covered fully with British Minton made tiles, and valuable Japanese leather paper(kin-kara-kawashi). Japanese sources consider this a rather rare example of combined influences and therefor an example worthy for world architecural history. I think that if you have limited time and resources to visit pure buildings of these various architectural types, then this one is definitely worth a gander.

Japanese residence

Okawa Kijyuro, who is famous for working on many residences of business and political magnates of the Meji era, supposedly was also involved as head carpenter for the Japanese residence of Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens. Within you can find alcove and paper sliding door paintings probably by Hashimoto

Billiard room at Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens

The billiard room was built in the style of Swiss mountain lodges. At the time this was very rare in Japan, apparently. This building is also a mixture of different styles and influences. The entirely wood building came from the American gothic style, while the log house like walls is from the aze-kura style, according to Japanese sources (who might be talking things up a bit), which has a notched pillars that extend the eaves further than average. Underground passages connect this building with the other western style buildings and it retains restored Japanese leather paper.

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