Kyu Asakura house

When you live right next door to an architectural gem

Let me start this post with a photo. When you see the below, where in Japan do you think we are? If your guess is a 15 min from Shibuya, one of the busiest places in all of Tokyo, then you’re spot on!

This absolute gem of a house, called Kyu Asakura House, set in beautiful gardens, is a little over a 100 years old, and has survived not only the Great Kanto earthquake, but also the firebombing of WWII.

Commissioned in 1919 by Torajiro Asakura, a prominent businessman and politician, it’s a beautiful traditionally Japanese wooden building, which you can visit. The current grounds are a fraction of the plot of land it used to sit on, most of the rest of it was developed by the Asakura family in collaboration with famous architect Fumihiko Maki, and this includes the Hillside Terrace complex which we called home for our stay in Tokyo, so visiting our ‘neighbour’ house had extra resonance for us.

The interiors are beautifully preserved, especially after you realise that for some time it was used as council buildings, after the family ceased to live here. Most rooms are traditionally Japanese, with tatami floors, and two rooms are ‘Western’, the biggest of which used to be the council chamber.

I was looking for photos of the interiors, but it seems like we’ve mostly got people in those, so sadly I can’t share those, but if you check out the sources listed below, you’ll get an idea.

I can thoroughly recommend visiting if you like Japanese architecture and/or gardens, are in need of a bit of peace and quiet whilst in Tokyo, or if you find yourself in Daikanyama (and if you’re in Daikanyama, don’t forget to visit the T-site Tsutaya bookshop which is a 5 min walk away, and if you’re peckish, the nearby Hillside Pantry has lovely bread and take-away lunch options).

Sources: Exploring Old Tokyo and Studio Nicholson blog.