Mouri-shi Garden, Mori Museum

The old main residence of the former Choshu lord, the Mori family, who were famous strong lords during the civil war period dominating the Chugoku area and later became duke after the Meiji Restoration. There are a large building of Shoin-zukuri style and a Japanese traditional style called Kaiyu-shiki garden (a circuit style garden that a path is designed around a large pond), in which the complete technique are used to built in the Meiji and Taisho periods and was selected as a Place of Scenic Beauty. It was uncommonly equipped with the state of the art of that time, for example, a generator set electric power facility, water purification installations, flushing toilet, and refrigerator using well water.

Mori Museum is located on a part of the ground and has art works and pictures such as old documents, armor, sword, tools for tea ceremony, and lacquer. Among of the collections, National treasures, important cultural properties, and Prefectural-designated cultural property of Yamaguchi prefecture are collected. “Four Landscape Scrolls of the Seasons” by Sesshu and volume 8 of Kokin Wakashū (Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times)are included.

The garden is popular for foliage viewing spot. The peak season is during the middle and late of November, the museum takes place the special exhibition called “the National Treasure” at this time. Many tourists visit to enjoy viewing colored foliage in the large garden and appreciate the exhibitions of the national treasures.