Rokkaen Kuwana Mie Josiah Conder

Rokkaen, Kuwana, Mie Prefecture 六華苑、桑名、三重県

The city of Kuwana, west of Nagoya, is home to a hidden gem of Meiji Era architecture - Rokkaen.

Josiah Conder

The Rokkaen was designed by one of the Meiji Period's favorite foreign architects, Josiah Conder, who also built the Rokumeikan, the Kyu-Furukawa Tei and the Kyu-Iwasaki Tei in Tokyo.

History

Completed in 1913, the combined Western and Japanese-style house was the former residence of Seiroku Moroto, a local rice magnate, who made his fortune in the area.

Besides the two main buildings, which were restored in 1993, the complex incudes a strolling garden and Japanese-style kura or storehouses, reflecting the owners business in the rice trade.

The European building, with the original furnishings still in evidence, includes a four-storey tower, sunroom and veranda and connects directly to the long Japanese-style tatami-floored annexe. There is a telephone room, some superb period fireplaces and the both drawing room and dining room have been recreated with antique furniture and wallpaper.

Access - Getting There

A 15 minute walk east from Kuwana Station.

Rokkaen
663-5 Takaba, Aza, Oazu, Kuwana City
Hours: 9 am-5 pm (last entrance 4 pm)
Closed Mondays
Admission: Adults 310 yen
Tel: 0594 24 4466

A visit to the Rokkaen can be combined with a viewing of the Seiroku Moroto Garden in season, which is virtually next door. Part of the garden was created by Hikozaemon Yamada in the Edo Period while an extension was added by Seiroku Moroto in the 1890's. The grounds include a guesthouse, a teahouse, storehouses, a shrine and the main house.

Hours: 10 am-5 pm (last entrance 4 pm)
Closed Mondays
Admission: Adults 500 yen
Tel: 0594 24 1361

The grounds are open from mid-April to the end of June and mid-October to the end of November.

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