Kyu-Iwasaki-tei is a Meiji-period residence and garden in Ikenohata, Taito Ward, Tokyo, Japan, built in 1896 for Iwasaki Hisaya, the third president of the Mitsubishi company and the eldest son of its founder, Iwasaki Yataro. The house was designed by the English architect Josiah Conder, who taught at the Imperial College of Engineering and designed many of the capital's Western-style buildings in the Meiji era, including the Rokumeikan. It stands on high ground near Ueno Park and was the main residence of the Iwasaki family, which at its height owned some 16,000 square metres in the area.
The house has a Western-style main block with a Jacobean character, featuring a veranda with arches, ornate chimneys, patterned wood and plaster ceilings and a broad staircase. The rooms are decorated with Islamic and Baroque motifs, and the finishes use imported materials. Unusually, a Japanese-style wing with tatami rooms was built adjacent to the Western section, designed for family and guests' daily life, and the two parts were connected by corridors. This pairing of Western rooms for receiving guests and Japanese rooms for domestic life is characteristic of the elite residences of the period and is rare to find so well preserved.
A separate building, the Billiard Room, was built in 1896 in a Swiss-chalet style using logs and is attached by an underground passage. It also reflects Conder's attention to the varied tastes of the owners. Together the main house, the billiard room and the Japanese wing were designated Important Cultural Properties in 2001, after the property came into the hands of the national and later the metropolitan government. After the Second World War the estate was used by the Supreme Court's legal training institute, and parts of the grounds were sold, so only a portion of the original estate remains.
The garden retains a broad lawn in Western style, with views toward Ueno. The Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association manages the site, and visitors can tour the interior and take tea in the Japanese rooms. It is a short walk from Yushima Station on the Chiyoda line and from Ueno-Okachimachi, making it a pairing for the Shitamachi museums and temples of Ueno.
| Admission | Adult ¥400 ($2.55) · Child Free |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00 AM–5:00 PM |
| Address | 1-3-45 Ikenohata, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0008 |
Why it matters
Kyu-Iwasaki-tei preserves the home of one of the families behind Japan's industrialisation and is one of the few surviving works by Josiah Conder in Tokyo. It shows how Meiji elites combined Western and Japanese living in one household.
Location
1-3-45 Ikenohata, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0008
35.7087, 139.7684 View on map
Highlights
- The Western-style main house designed by the British architect Josiah Conder in 1896
- The log-built Billiard Room in a Swiss-chalet style, connected to the main house by a passage
- The attached Japanese-style rooms, among the largest of their kind in a Meiji residence
- A lawn garden overlooking Ueno and Shinobazu Pond
- Interior details including decorative ceilings, fireplaces and a veranda of arches
Tips for visiting
- Entry costs ¥400; a combined ticket with other metropolitan gardens may be available.
- Guided tours are available on certain days and are worth taking for the architectural details.
- Shoes are removed in the Japanese wing, so wear socks.
- Visit in the morning to see the interior without crowds.
- Combine with Shinobazu Pond and the museums of Ueno Park, a short walk away.
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Frequently asked questions
Who built Kyu-Iwasaki-tei?
The house was designed by the British architect Josiah Conder in 1896 for Iwasaki Hisaya, president of the Mitsubishi company.
How long does a visit take?
About 45 to 60 minutes covers the house, billiard room and garden.
Is the site English-friendly?
Basic English leaflets and panels are available, though most detailed explanation is in Japanese.