Kyu Iwasaki-tei Gardens

Kyu Iwasaki-tei Gardens comprises the former residence built by Hisaya Iwasaki, the eldest son of Yataro Iwasaki, founder of the Mitsubishi industrial conglomerate, as the residence of the third head of the Iwasaki family. It opened as a Tokyo Metropolitan garden in 2001 (Heisei 13).
The buildings were completed in 1896, about 30 years after the Meiji Restoration, when Japan was rapidly advancing along the path of modernization.
At its height, the estate covered approximately 15,000 tsubo, or about 50,000 square meters and contained as many as 20 buildings. Today, three structures remain: the Western-style House, the billiards hall (Dōkyūshitsu), and the Grand Hall of the Japanese-style House. Together with the garden, they have been designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
The striking Western-style House was designed by the British architect Josiah Conder. This two-story wooden building, covering approximately 160 tsubo, or about 530 square meters, is distinguished by its magnificent Jacobean-style ornamentation and domed roof.
It served as a guesthouse for welcoming distinguished guests of the Iwasaki family, and its stately yet finely crafted interior evokes the splendor of that era.