The House that Shibusawa Eiichi Loved

Novare Academy, a facility for training human resources and transmitting heritage technologies, stands northeast from Shiomi Station. (© Nippon.com)

From left to right, the complex consists of the Novare Academy, the Novare Hub, and the Novare Archives. The canal is further down the road. (© Nippon.com)

The Former Shibusawa Residence consists of, from left to right, a Western-style wing, a main building, and living quarters for Keizō’s mother. The corridor connecting the Western-style wing and the main building is also in the fusion Wa-Yō setchū style. (© Nippon.com)

A faithful reproduction of Keizō’s study inside the Western-style portion of the house, based on early photographs. Panels displaying relevant materials have been installed. (© Nippon.com)

A statue of a young Shibusawa Eiichi stands on the grounds of his former family home in Fukaya. (© Nippon.com)

Shibusawa City Place Eitai, a building housing the Shibusawa Warehouse Company’s head office and other businesses, stands on the first site of the Former Shibusawa Residence. A plaque standing in a small park along Eitai-dōri identifies the site. (© Nippon.com)

The water feature modeled on the original Shioiri Pond complements the site beautifully. (© Nippon.com)

A guest room on the second floor of the main building boasts a decorative pillar masterfully carved by Shimizu Kisuke. (© Nippon.com)

The main building’s staircase is constructed of black persimmon and other rare woods. (© Nippon.com)

Eiichi in his later years. (Courtesy of the National Diet Library)

Eiichi dandles great-grandson Masahide on his knee, with his son Tokuji to his left and grandson Keizō standing center rear. (Courtesy Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation)

The photo was taken in this room on the first floor of the main building. (© Nippon.com)

The formal reception room on the first floor of the Western-style wing. The furniture, chandelier, and plaster ceiling motifs have all been faithfully reproduced. (© Nippon.com)

This Bechstein piano is a special-order model made for export to Asia. Its glued portions were reinforced with tacks to deal with the humid climate. (© Nippon.com)

The stained-glass windows in the dining room were re-created based on two panes that had been preserved. (© Nippon.com)

Seismic reinforcement was added when the house was moved back to Kōtō. A new glass-walled elevator on the property offers a view of the steel frame and the diagonal braces strengthening the structure. (© Nippon.com)

The houseboy’s room by the entrance to the home, which Sugimoto presumably occupied while in service to the Shibusawas. (© Nippon.com)

The Former Shibusawa Residence, viewed from Shiomi Shibusawa Park. (© Nippon.com)

The entrance hall to Novare Hub, open to the public, is an exhibit space featuring displays related to Shimizu Corporation. (© Nippon.com)