Tamozawa Imperial Villa

History

The Tamozawa Imperial Villa in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, was built around a relocated Edo-period mansion. This mansion, originally the Tokyo residence of the Kishu Tokugawa clan, became imperial property in 1872 and was used by the emperor and crown prince until 1898. Its Tokugawa symbols were swapped for the imperial chrysanthemum. In 1899, the structure was moved from Tokyo to Nikko, and the villa was constructed around it as a summer home for Crown Prince Taisho.

The villa also sits on land that once belonged to banker Kobayashi Nempo. During World War II, Emperor Hirohito used the villa as a hideout, and Emperor Akihito lived there as an evacuee for over a year starting in 1944. After 1947, the imperial family abandoned the villa, and it fell into obscurity. Only after major renovations by the Tochigi Prefectural Government did it reopen as a public museum.

The villa is one of Japan’s largest wooden buildings, with 106 rooms blending Japanese and Western styles, and sits within a park now a quarter of its original size.

Architecture

The villa is one of the largest wooden buildings of Japan, containing 106 rooms, most of which were used by the imperial court. The interior is a blend of Japanese and Western design—characterized by mixing carpet floor, chandeliers, sliding doors as well as tatami flooring. The villa is surrounded by a large park, currently only one quarter of what it was in its heyday.