Hekiun-sō, Private villa in Sakyō-ku, Japan
Hekiun-sō is a private residence in Sakyō-ku comprising multiple structures built in Sukiya-zukuri style with tatami rooms and sliding doors arranged around a central garden courtyard. A pond within this garden is fed by water diverted from Lake Biwa Canal, and the estate encompasses seventeen buildings designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
Businessman Tokushichi Nomura II built this residential complex between 1917 and 1928 using traditional architectural elements and garden design techniques. The estate's completion coincided with Japan's emergence as a modern industrial power while maintaining classical Japanese design principles.
The complex displays traditional architecture with a Noh stage, tea houses, and reception rooms built according to Sukiya-zukuri principles. Visitors can observe how these spaces, with their sliding doors and tatami mats, are organized around a central garden with a pond.
The estate is normally not open to visitors as it remains a private property. Occasional public viewing events are held, so checking ahead for available times is worthwhile.
During the 1928 enthronement ceremony of Emperor Showa, Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni stayed in the main reception hall of this estate. This connection to a major imperial event reveals how important the place was in Japanese society at that time.
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