Samurai residence
Samurai governed Japan during the Sengoku period and the Edo period. Then, what kind of residences they lived in? We find the remains which might be one of the palaces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most famous Sengoku Lords. This residence was relocated from Kyoto to Yokohama. We visited Yokohama and investigated with our own eyes.
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| Part of Rinshunkaku residence |
The Sankei-en garden
The place is the Sankei-en garden. And it's a Japanese landscape style garden. In this garden, 17 historical remains are scattered in the large estate. These were relocated in a place full of nature and in harmony with the garden. We want to introduce a famous residence made by the Sukiya style and it's called 'Rinshunkaku.' This residence consists of connected 3 Sukiya style buildings and these are like 3 flying goose and very beautiful. We call this Gankou-gata pattern or lined flying goose pattern.
At the beginning, this building was made in Osaka city, and which was owned by a wealthy merchant. And the owner of this garden bought it, and brought from Osaka to this garden in Yokohama. However, there is no information who made it. According to a book about the Sankeien garden, there is an another story. When it was firstly made it was a residence of a Lord who governed Wakayama area (where was called 'Kishu' in an expression of the Edo era). Then this residence was made a grant towards a Samurai family, and they sold it to a wealthy merchant, then several merchants resold.
Finally, owner of the Sankei-en garden bought. And when he dismantled and reconstructed it, he changed several elements especially roof to express a more elegant appearance.
We punctuate this residence because we can get knowledge about residences of the Edo era. And aren't interested in the stories which tells who made, who bought, who replaced.
Interestingly, this residence has an anecdote that it was part of a Fushimi palace made by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Why it has these unsourced anecdotes such as a lord's residence of the Wakayama area or a Palace of Toyotomi Hideyoshi? We think it's quite spacious and luxurious, so they misunderstand it might not be a private house even though the owner was a wealthy merchant.
The Rinshunkaku residence
Why people talk so many stories about this single building? Because it has a glow of beauty which makes us talk a lot. The Sankeien garden was consisted of two gardens, the outer garden which was opened to the public from the very beginning, and the inner garden. The inner garden was for owner's family only. And the central building of the inner garden was the Rinshunkaku.
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| Rinshunkaku residence |
At the entrance of the inner garden, we stood in front of our destination. This area is called 'Nai-en' which means 'inside garden' and there is a historical entrance gate which is called 'Go-mon' or a great gate. This huge gate was also dismantled and reconstructed from a certain temple in Kyoto. We pass through it, and get into the garden.
There is a narrow pavement covered patterned stone. Right hand of the pavement, one of the famous tea ceremony houses called 'Hakuun-tei' is there. We go along the stone pavement, and we can find the entrance door of 'Rinshunkaku.' However, the appearance is just a part of it, and we can't imagine the big-picture view of this building. We can't observe the whole building form from the pavement side. Making a turn to the left hand side path, we move to the front open space. These are a magnificent view of 'Rinshunkaku' behind a large pond, and we are overwhelmed by the complete picture of it.
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| Gomon gate |
From this open space, this building might have been a Daimyo-residence (a Lord's residence), furthermore also a Palace of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Its perspective is graceful, refined, and perfect, we don't think extreme this explanation is extreme. We remember several palace consisted of connected 3 Sukiya style buildings, which are Nijho-jho Nino-maru Palace and Katsura-rikyu Palace. These are authentic and top-grade buildings, so it's difficult to find greater one. However, this residence has one superior point, that is the second building which has the overhung veranda widely sticking out into the pond. This building is highly became together with a Japanese garden.
There are many drawings of the original residence which stood at Osaka until the dismantling and reconstruction during the Meiji era. From these drawings, we can learn the order of 3 buildings was changed when the reconstruction was held. When this residence stood at Osaka,the first building was in the center, which we can observe from the entrance pavement now. And, the left-hand side was the second building and the right-hand side was the third building. So, in left of the residence, a pond or a river might be there, and the overhung veranda was located at the left end. In addition, there was also another big difference between the old and the new, 3 buildings were connected more densely.
Rinshunkaku was reconstructed by the new idea, and the center building was interchanged to the other side. The new order was in the deepest building of the original was moved to the center, and the front building of the previous one changed its position to the most secluded part of this residence, and the center was in the front. At the same time, the third building was reversed, so the back side was moved to the front side. And between the center and the third, a connecting passage, lavatories, and wet area was added at this time.
The order of Rinshunkaku
From the entrance (right side) ⇒ the first, the second, the third
The order of original at Osaka
From the entrance (left side) ⇒the third (the front), the first (the center), the second (the secluded)
The original in Osaka had a completely different appearance from the Rinshunkaku now. So, if you say it's not the same one, because of difference of forms, we accept what you are saying.
However, there is another point of view. Wooden structures, sliding doors, sliding screens, wall paintings, and finishing materials were reused. And the impression of the inside is same as the original and finishing is almost same. If you say it is the reconstruction of the same building, because of the fact same materials were used for it, we also think you can say that again.
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| Choshukaku |
Thus, even though the appearance of it is so beautiful and elegant, we can't have confidence the original in Osaka had the same beauty and elegance. So, also we can't say the original was a Daimyo residence, although we can imagine that when we encounter it at the glance. Its beauty and elegance brought about by the reconstruction in the Meiji era. The alteration according to the location or the re-designation in order to realize the ideal residence is the cause of the revival.
We can't enter the residence, so we can't view architectural beauty of the materials inside. Only a book of photos, we can study the information on the inside design, that's a pity. Front side's beauty does not last into the reverse side. Because a big pond exists in front of this residence, but the back side of it is a hill and a narrow path. We can go along the path into the backyard of it, where the third building and the second building were connected. This area was repaired extensively after the WW2, because it had heavy damage by the war. And also the entrance, lavatories for visitors, and old style bathrooms were repaired then. The back side appearance of it is only an ordinary old-fashioned Japanese house. For example, wooden walls were just on the foundation stone which was not so big, and sliding door with glass instead of Japanese paper.
Too much influenced by the front side, we expected too much that it would be a Daimyo residence. The design which was done in the Meiji era was great, and so many people even researchers were misled by its appearance. However, if you think calmly, this residence was a wealthy merchant's look like a Daimyo residence.
Rinshunkaku (Important Cultural Property)
Built in 1649 during the Edo period./Moved to the garden in 1917 during the Taisho Era.
This villa was built by Yorinobu, the first feudal lord of the Kishu Tokugawa clan (also known as the son of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first shogun of the Edo period.) in Wakayama Prefecture along the Kinokawa River. The interior is decorated with sophisutication as seen in the ink paintings done by Kano school painters on the sliding doors and walls (the originals are stored and displayed at the Sankei Memorial).
Choshukaku (Important Cultural Property)
Built in 1623 during the Edo period./Moved to the garden in 1922 during the Taisho Era.
Believed to have been located on the premises of Nijojo Castle in Kyoto, this building has an unique architectural design unlike any other in Japan and is connected to Iemitsu Tokugawa (the third shogun of the Edo period) and and Kasuga no Tsubone (his wet nurse).
Gekkaden (Important Cultural Property)
Built in 1603 during the Edo period/Moved to the garden in 1918 during the Taisho Era.
Originally built on the premises of Fushimijo Castle in Kyoto and used as a waiting room for Daimyo (leading figures of feudal clans).
from the Official Information of the Paper (we got at the entrance)
Transition of Lord's residence
We want to review the transition of Lord's living places from the Sengoku era to the Edo era. The lords were the most high-class people at that time, so the living places were also made by the most high-level technology. When we think of the Sengoku era, we imagine huge castles built by the Sengoku lords. However, these huge castles were built at the very end of the Sengoku era. Before that, there were several patterns of residences of the lords, so we will mention in accordance with the changing times.
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| Gekkaden |
At the beginning of the Sengoku era, lords' residences were made on flatland, and for protection against their enemies, they made moats and earthworks around the site. Soon wars became wider and frequently all around Japan, and this style of residences became less protective against huge enemies power.
Then, the style particular to the Ichijhodani residences was made in many places. This style was a combination of a residence on flatland and a mountain castle on the steep mountain. When the enemy came near the residence, they escaped into the mountain castle. This tactics was changed dramatically because of the appearance of the Azuchi castle. Oda Nobunaga who planned this castle started a new tactics which ment building a huge castle and living inside the castle.
This tactics had two merit one of which was to show off his power to the ruled people and another was to live at a secure place surrounded many defensive facilities. Castle was developed in the period of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who was the Oda Nobunaga's successor, especially Toyotomi Hideyoshi made many castles using imaginative tactics, and the Osaka castle was one of his masterpiece magnificent and on the other hand defensive.
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| Choshukaku |
However, how wide the lord of the castle made his castle, space for his residence was limited by the surrounding facilities for the defence as long as he made his residence inside his castle. He didn't have a free hand as for his living place. In the Edo era, the warring period was over, but the lord's of the castles had to live inside his castle. Even though the Kazazawa castle where was very wide site for the residences, the lords' of this castle felt cramped.
Then the wealthy lords made villas around their castles, and they lived there usually. Because residences in the castles were used not only their living places but also governmental space, and many retainers worked for them to dominate
their areas. They were rich enough but also they didn't have free hands. Their living places were fixed, and if they hoped to make elegant residences, they didn't.
Other buildings in the Sankei-en garden
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| Yanohara-family residence |
And it was planned according to the theme which was to make an ideal tea ceremony space. Amount of relocated buildings are only 17, though, these are comfortably scattered and in harmony with the natural environment there. Although, there are several buildings out of this place, such as a three-storied pagoda and a big traditional Japanese style house. These are not relevant to tea ceremony space, however, it flashes upon us that these buildings are kind of borrowed landscapes.
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