Meimei-an, Garden tea house in Matsue, Japan
Meimei-an is a garden tea house in Matsue featuring a thick thatched roof, with an adjoining tea room called Hyakuso-tei where guests receive traditional Japanese refreshments. The two spaces work together as a single retreat for the tea ceremony experience.
Lord Matsudaira Harusato commissioned this tea house in 1779 to promote the tea ceremony tradition in his domain. The building was relocated to its current location in 1966 while preserving its original architecture.
The tea house follows the Fumai-ryu tradition, a local style connected to the region's samurai heritage that visitors can observe in practice. This approach to tea ceremony remains an important part of how people here maintain their cultural identity today.
The site is open daily with extended hours from April through September, closing earlier during the cooler months. Visitors should expect stairs and traditional interior spaces that call for a slower pace.
The building was intentionally moved to mark an important anniversary in the local tea ceremony tradition. This relocation reflects how deeply valued this practice is to the community.
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