The former Tsugumichi Saigou's house is designated as an important cultural property of Japan, also removed from Meguro-ku, Tokyo and rebuilt to the
Meiji-Mura, Aichi; however the building date of the house is not conventionally identified. Since a new document, which indicates the building time of the house, has been found, this article aims to examine the validity of the document and discuss the building time and the background of improvement of the house.
In the early modern times, the site was occupied as a suburban residence by the local lord Nakagawa of Bungo-takada, and Tsugumichi purchased it for 1, 300 yen, around 1874. This was considered that he prepared the house for his older brother Takamori moving up to Tokyo after resigning his post; however, he committed suicide in 1877 after the
Satsuma Rebellion.
According to the found document, the
Yomiuri Shimbun, November, 9, 1890, it is identified that
Joto-shiki (the roof-raising ceremony) of the former Tsugumichi Saigou's house was held in the early November, 1890. The house was honored to accept the royal visit in May, 1889, and right before that the Japanese hall was built. In addition, around 1888, the garden of the house was landscaped; flowers of each seasons were planted including plum trees and cherry trees. Later, in 1962, the Meiji-Mura received the transfer of the building, and the removing and rebuilding construction to Aichi was carried out in 1964.
In addition, in the Meiji era, it was required to respect the dignity of the emperor more than the harmony of the top and bottom for the royal visit. Therefore, new constructions and landscaping gardens were carried out in many hosting houses.
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