The Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Garden

Burn them into your memory!?

The Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Garden (house and garden of Iwasaki) leads west to Ueno Park in Tokyo was constructed by Iwasaki clan (founder of Mitsubishi Group) in 1896. Nowadays it's named an Important Cultural Property by Japanese government and is operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association. The houses consists three buildings, Yokan, Dokyu-shitsu and Wakan.

The Yokan is designed by Josiah Conder known as architect of Rokumeikan. Its interior and exterior is decorated with Jacobean style of England in the 17-th century. You may feel atmosphere of the middle age of Europe though you are in Japan.

The Dokyu-shitsu is the Billiards house made of wood and looks like Swiss mountain chalet. Its interior is decorated with Japanese leather paper. Japanese leather paper was a luxury handmade wallpaper in Japan in Meiji period (from 1868 to 1912) and is known as Buckingham Palace in UK is decorated with it.

The Wakan is Japanese style building and made for Iwasaki family in contrast with the Yokan is made for guests and Europian style. You can see pure Japanese style of architecture of the day.

Please pay attention you can't take a picture in these buildings, you can do only these exterior, so you should burn them into your memory when you visit there.