This building is where western-style painter Hanjiro Sakamoto was born and raised, spending his youth here before leaving for Tokyo at the age of twenty.

The Sakamoto family were a long line of bushi (samurai warriors) who served the Kurume Domain for generations, owning land spanning 1500m².

The wooden building is two stories high, with a combination of thatch and tile roofing. It is the only remaining samurai residence in Kurume city, so it has been designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by the city.

A preservation and maintenance project began in 2006, when the house was recreated in the style it was in during Hanjiro’s twenties, and the property has been open to the public since May 2010. At the house, you can also see a reproduction of fusuma (sliding paper doors). The paintings on them are said to have been done by Shigeru Aoki, who was a friend of Hanjiro’s.

In addition, rooms in the house can also be used privately for a variety of functions, like rakugo, music or mochi-making events, for example. You can also hold tea ceremonies and photo shoots here.

A Tangible Cultural Property of Japan (building) designated by the city on July 28 2003