Old Ito Den-emon Residence, Historical mansion in Iizuka, Japan.

The Old Ito Den-emon Residence in Iizuka comprises seven buildings, including the main house, storehouses, an office, a study, and a nagayamon gate, arranged around three garden areas: a carriage yard, a courtyard, and a main garden. The main house has dark timber walls, white plaster above, sliding translucent doors, and a covered veranda, with grey tiled roofs and a thatched overhang.

Ito Den-emon, a coal mine operator, built the residence as his main home between the mid-Taisho and early Showa periods. The gate was moved here from the Akagane Palace in Tenjin, Fukuoka. After Den-emon's death the property changed owners and was once considered for demolition before Iizuka City acquired it; it opened to the public after repairs. In 2020 seven buildings, including the main house, were designated Important Cultural Properties.

The residence shows how Japanese architectural traditions merged with Western influences in its rooms and layouts, which you can see in the design details throughout. The spaces are arranged so that views of the surrounding gardens play an important role in daily life.

The site is accessible daily except Wednesdays, and you should wear comfortable shoes since there are multiple buildings to explore. The visit works best when you take time to walk through the gardens between the structures.

The stone lantern in the main garden came with Yanagihara Byakuren as part of her bridal trousseau when she married Den-emon, and it remains on the grounds. The title lettering on the official sign and admission ticket was brushed by Taro Aso, a descendant of the Chikuho coal magnates.