Yamazaki House

Yamazaki House is a historic residence in Kawagoe featuring traditional Japanese rooms, sliding doors, and a carefully designed garden created by landscape designer Katsuya Yasuoka. The structure displays the craftsmanship and wealth of the merchant family who once lived here.

Built in 1925 as a retreat for Kashichi Yamazaki, the fifth-generation owner of Kameya confectionery store, this residence represents early 20th-century Japanese residential design. The property subsequently received national recognition designations honoring its historical and cultural importance.

The residence blends Japanese and Western design elements visible in rooms with tatami mats and traditional tea ceremony spaces. Visitors can observe how this architectural mixture shaped the daily life of a prosperous merchant family during the early modern period.

The house is reachable on foot from the station, and visitors should wear comfortable shoes since exploring the tatami rooms and garden requires walking through various spaces. Weekend off-peak hours offer a more relaxed experience for viewing the rooms without crowds.

The garden received national monument status in 2011 and displays decades of horticultural development through its layout and plantings. This recognition demonstrates how the landscape design functions as its own artwork within the property ensemble.