【Japan Trip】歴史を感じる愛知犬山旅（前編）犬山明治村

【Japan Trip】歴史を感じる愛知犬山旅（前編）犬山明治村

A trip to Inuyama, Aichi, to experience history
(Part 1) Inuyama Meiji Village Today I’m going on a trip to Inuyama in Aichi Prefecture with my parents-in-law. To get from Hiratsuka to Inuyama, take the Shinkansen from Odawara. The Shinkansen I took that day was Hikari 633, departing Odawara at 8:07 and bound for Shin-Osaka. After Odawara, it stopped at Nagoya If you reserve seats D or E on the Shinkansen, you can see Mt. Fuji to your right. About 40 minutes after leaving Odawara, you will pass Lake Hamanako in Shizuoka. We’ll soon arrive at Nagoya Station. If you take the Hikari train, it’s just over an hour from Odawara. Nagoya has a population of approximately 2.3 million and is the fourth largest city in Japan after Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka. To get to Inuyama, transfer to the private Meitetsu Inuyama Line at Nagoya Station. The destination of this trip is Inuyama Meiji Village.
Once you arrive at Inuyama Station, transfer to a bus bound for Meiji Village. After about a 30-minute bus ride, you will arrive at Meiji Village. Meiji Village is an open-air museum where you can learn about the history of Japan’s Meiji period. Meiji Village has many buildings of great historical value. Elementary school in the Meiji era Japan opened its doors to the world during the Meiji period, moving from an era ruled by shoguns and samurai to an era of democracy. One of the most important aspects of the Meiji opening up was the spread of education by the government. During the Meiji period, the school education system that continues to this day was established and the first textbooks were created. This is an elementary school classroom from those days. When my parents-in-law saw this classroom, they seemed very nostalgic, as they were reminded of the time when they traveled together. Boys and girls studied side by side at small wooden desks and chairs. The park covers a vast area of ​​1 million square meters. The next place we visited was the Gakushuin Chancellor’s Residence. Gakushuin was founded in 1877 as a school to educate the children of the imperial family and the nobility. Next to it is the residence of Tsugumichi Saigo. Tsugumichi Saigo was the younger brother of Takamori Saigo, a hero of the Meiji Restoration. Saigo Tsugumichi, along with his brother Takamori, was a key figure in the Meiji Restoration. Even after his brother Takamori died in the Seinan War, Tsugumichi continued to be responsible for the defense of Japan as an admiral in the army and navy of the new government. Saigo Tsugumichi used this mansion to entertain important foreign figures of the time. Is the doll on the right Saigo Takamori? Behind the vase is a hanging scroll with Japanese writing. It is a fusion of Western and Eastern cultures. Our next stop was the homes of Mori Ogai and Natsume Soseki. Mori Ogai and Natsume Soseki are two of Japan’s most representative novelists of the Meiji era. Visit to Soseki’s house The homes of ordinary people in the Meiji period were wooden buildings like this one. The tatami rooms are separated by sliding doors. It was in this house that Natsume Soseki wrote his masterpiece, “I am a Cat.” As we left Natsume Soseki’s house, it was time for lunch. Lunch for this day was shrimp tempura kishimen. It was delicious. After lunch, we took a stroll around 2-chome, where we could enjoy the Meiji era townscape. The next place we visited was the Tomatsu family residence. This house is located in the center of Nagoya and was a merchant’s townhouse that operated as an oil shop. My grandfather was also a businessman, so the house is very similar in design. The business is conducted just inside the entrance, and the living room is at the back. Further back is the kitchen. It brings back so many memories. It feels like I’ve traveled back in time to the Meiji era. Meiji Village is a large park, so there are buses that run throughout the park. I’m waiting at the bus stop for the next bus. We took the park bus to the back of the park, to 5th Street. The highlight of 5th Street is the central entrance of the former Imperial Hotel. The Imperial Hotel is one of Japan’s most iconic hotels. The Imperial Hotel was completed on September 1, 1923, coincidentally the same day as the Great Kanto Earthquake. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a renowned American architect of the 20th century. A gorgeous venue befitting a welcoming facility in the capital Wright’s unique design philosophy is evident in every corner. There is a coffee shop in the central entrance of the Imperial Hotel. Here we have a leisurely cup of coffee. Enjoy a cup of coffee at the entrance of the former Imperial Hotel.
It’s a truly luxurious experience, feeling Japanese history firsthand. The first part of our historical tour of Inuyama was Meiji Village.
The second part will be the national treasure, Inuyama Castle. Please look forward to it.

愛知県の犬山へ、小さな旅に出かけました。

今回訪れたのは「博物館明治村」。明治時代の建築物や暮らしをそのまま残した広大なテーマパークです。
前編では、明治村のレトロな街並みや美しい建物をゆったりと巡ります。
まるで明治時代にタイムスリップしたかのような旅を、一緒に楽しんでください！

#犬山,#明治村,#JapanTrip,#歴史旅,#レトロ建築