The house that Torajiro Asakura built

When visiting Tokyo, you can easily be overwhelmed by the myriads of museums and temples that you can visit. From the historic Imperial Palace and Senso-ji temple to the abstract but wonderful Studio Ghibli Museum, it often feels that you could spend an infinitesimal amount of time in this city. Then you also realise that in amongst this modern metropolis there are the vast parks and gardens of Ueno, Yoyogi and Rikugien to name but a few.

One often neglected, mainly because it is open from the beginning of November to the end of February, is Kyu Asakura House. Built in 1919, it survived both the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the intense bombing by the Allies during World War II, it is well worth a visit. Quite complex in its layout, at the time it was built, Mt. Fuji could be seen from the second floor.

The most charming aspect about the Old Asakura House for visitors is its elegant grounds, with a beautiful mossy garden, with stepping stones and stone decorations, overlooked by the house's living room and balcony. Most of the rooms are traditional tatami mat. The stairs and corridors are all creaky wood, and the doorways are low, so watch your head. Go there in December, when the autumn colours of the maple trees are still quite vivid, littered amongst the evergreens. Spend time just sitting and contemplating whilst looking at this beautiful garden in amongst grey concrete…. you won’t be disappointed.