Former Toshima Family Residence

The Former Toshima Family Residence in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, is a samurai home in the sukiya style that preserves the atmosphere of the Edo period. Its calm thatched-roof appearance makes you feel as if you’ve slipped back in time.

It is said to have been built in 1828 by Yanagawa domain samurai Yoshida Kanetomo as a retirement residence, and later used as the domain’s ochaya (teahouse). Designated an Important Cultural Property of Fukuoka Prefecture in 1957, it is now open to the public.

Inside the building, you’ll find a beautiful design that showcases traditional Japanese architectural techniques throughout. Bamboo and wood are used skillfully to create an elegant, calming space. In particular, the garden viewed from the tatami room is designed for a more open feel by leaving the southeast corner without a pillar, so you can enjoy a more expansive view.

The garden is a pond garden fed with water drawn from Yanagawa’s moats (the waterways considered a symbol of the city). A beautifully balanced landscape of stillness and nature spreads out, as if capturing Japan’s sense of aesthetics in one place. In 1978, it was also designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty.

It’s a rare place where you can experience Edo-period life and Japanese aesthetics.