We have been watching so many Ninja and Samurai programs on TVs and the movies over the years. It has been my lifetime dream to visit a real Warlord Samurai's house someday to observe and appreciate the way they lived.
1. We visited the Kumamoto Castle earlier in the morning and took a short slow walk to see a Samurai's residence which was located just outside the castle's grounds.
2. The Spring's weather was cold and perfect for a lovely stroll, passing all the pretty Japanese styled landscapes. The Spring's air was so fresh and clean too.
3. We reached the entrance to the beautiful gardens of the Hosokawa's Residence. This Hosokawa Clans were powerful samurai descendants who ruled Kumamoto from the early 17th Century until the Meiji Period of Japan.
4. My wife is always flexible like a rubber band and there is nothing she could not do on earth! She has finally won my approval to climb the base camps of Mount Everest. God knows when I will embark. My poor legs! Help!
5. Welcome to the main gate of the fantastic Hosokawa Residence.
The entrance fee is 300 Yen per person.
The address is: 3-1 Furukyou-machi, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto, Japan.
6. I found a broom and decided to help sweep the garden of pebbles!
Pat my head please!
7. The Zen gardens of Japan are always very neat and beautiful.
Do you like my sweeping designs? Ahem!
8. Sorry I lied to you. I didn't sweep those lovely neat lines.
I decided to fly with the broom like a witch.
9. Some called it Hosokawa's Mansion because they have so many rooms inside but
I will only post half of the numbers. This historical place was built in the 1870s.
10. The first room looks like a Guest Receiving Area.
11. All the rooms have typical sliding doors that could open up into huge halls for ceremonies.
12. I believe the last tenants who resided this fabulous place was Hosokawa Tadotoshi as the history recorded his great contributions to the garden landscapes which survived to this day.
13. If you are fat and enormous, you can forget about crossing the many corridors!
It is so narrow and I had to walk side ways.
14. They have several courtyards inside which helps to ventilate the many rooms.
The architects have been smart since the ancient times.
15. This is the reading room of the Samurais.
16. There is a small cottage by itself which could be a guest house.
17. The pretty water container with a fresh flower from their gardens. So avant garde!
18. Another long & narrow corridor with low ceilings for the petite occupants.
I believe the samurais must be very thin and muscular people.
19. This is the kitchen area which has neat boxes and trays everywhere.
20. This is the bathroom for the Samurai to shower.
They barricaded all the doors, so I had to stand outside.
21. We spent over an hour walking inside the samurai's mansion.
Look at the length of its garden walls!
22. This is back door of the Hosokawa Residence. My next blog post will cover the impressive Kumamoto Castle nearby.
