The Former Hosokawa Residence 旧細川刑部邸, Kyū Hosokawa Gyōbutei, is the Bukeyashiki 武家屋敷 Samurai Mansion of the Hosokawa Clan, that ran Kumamoto from the early 17th century to the Meiji Period.
The mansion is a great example of a high-class samurai mansion of Edo-era, initially built in 1648 by the first Hosokawa lord of Kumamoto for his younger brother Okitaka Hosokawa as a rest house.
The beauty of the property is evident immediately, from the raked gravel patterns that hug the entrance path to the overhanging maple trees that turn fiery orange in late November.
Most of the rooms are open-walled, with expansive views of the property’s garden. A number of the rooms display treasures from the Hosokawa family – an exquisitely painted set of shells from the Edo-era matching game known as kai awase, a century-old go game board with black and white stones, plenty of exquisite period furniture and various pottery.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Concerto No 2 in C major for two pianos, Movement 2, Adagio, Artur Schnabel (1882–1951) & Karl Ulrich Schnabel (1909–2001)
Former Hosokawa Residence 旧細川刑部邸 Kyū Hosokawa Gyōbutei Bukeyashiki 武家屋敷 Samurai Mansion Kumamoto by Kari Gröhn karigrohncom
AloJapan.com