Experience tranquility in Yamamoto tei, Shibamata

Within a few minutes from Shibamata Taihakuten temple is Yamamoto-tei, a former merchant’s residence where features Japanese – Western style, creating a harmony of a Japanese drawing room, western architecture and Japanese garden. Yamamoto-tei Japanese traditional house & garden has been ranked 4^th by American magazine Sukiya Living:The Journal of Japanese Gardening in 2019.

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History of Yamamoto-tei

The building was originally the home of Einosuke Yamamoto, founder of Yamamoto camera component manufacturer. After the Great Kanto Earthquake 4 generations of Yamamoto family lived here, then in 1991 the building was opened to the public.

The wooden two-story structure has 400m²on the first floor and 50m²on the second floor with a basement, warehouse gate and tiled roof, and was renovated several times.

Kyotaku, Living room

Shoin, Japanese drawing room

The corner rooms are traditional shoin, Japanese drawing rooms with a Tokonoma alkove, Chigaidana staggered shelves, Akarishoji paper screen doors for letting in light and Ranma transom.

Shoin zukuri, Japanese drawing room

Japanese alcove

ranma & paper screen door

Sukiya style ceiling

The corridors encircling the house have Sukiya style ceilings with large glass doors and beautifully carved Ranma transom to let in natural light.

Ranma transom lets in natural light

Hana no ma room

All rooms are open designed with few walls in between and face the garden over corridor.

all rooms face the garden

Shutei, Main garden

Drawing room garden with thick shrubbery and a waterfall in the back of the garden. Nearly 400 trees and shrubs such as pine and azalea are planted in the area of 890m².

main garden

Each scenery looks one cut out of picture frame. If it’s rainy you can view the garden on tatami room inside, and on fine weather why not stand on balcony outside?

view from balcony

It would be nice to be just relaxed hearing sound of waterfall water to the back of the garden, eating Match tea & sweet available for 500-600 yen. Coffee & sweats are also available.