Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park 日光田母沢御用邸記念公園

Austere imperial villa with gorgeous garden

When you visit Nikko, take some time out for this spacious former imperial villa. It's remarkable for its size, 106 rooms, making it one of the largest wooden buildings in Japan. It was assembled from Edo, Taisho, and Meiji era structures. The villa was a retreat for the Crown Prince Yoshihito, who later became Emperor Taisho. The highlight of the villa is his quarters at the top of the house overlooking the garden. I'd say the most enticing part of the villa is the view of the house from the gardens. The rolling landscape with various plantings that reflect the seasons affords good views of the villa's exterior. The interior is sparsely decorated and has only a few furnishings from the imperial family. Guides provide some interpretation of features. A guide told us to look out kugikakushi, the varied nail covers on the beams, and pointed out some damage from thumbtacks when the villa was used to house kids in wartime. The villa is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.