Perhaps the most beautiful structure in Tondabayashi’s heritage-listed Jinaimachi temple district, the Former Sugiyama House was the residence of a merchant family who made their fortune in sake brewing. The house is also the birthplace of the poet Tsuyuko Isonokami (1882–1959), an associate of the noted Meiji-era feminist author and social reformer Akiko Yosano, and has been designated an important cultural property.
Inside, note the elaborate ranma transoms crafted in the 1700s by the painter Ooka Shunboku and how the pillars in the rooms are laid out to provide for views of the central garden from as many angles as possible. An exhibition on the second floor details how the house was renovated in the 1980s, including through photos and centuries-old construction materials, and also features displays related to Isonokami’s career. There’s an additional exhibition in the earthen-walled storehouse some distance from the main building.
Entrance is ¥400 (¥200 for children aged 15 or under). You can also check out the house before your visit with this 3D model.