Former Murakawa Villa

Nice spot to take a break in Abiko City

This tiny summer house was built by a western history scholar, Kengo Murakawa. The villa was built in the Taisho Period and has a few unique features. Just inside the front door, there is a tokonoma that spans the north wall. Some furniture made by Bernard Leach and Jomon Period artifacts are on display. For my companion and I, it was curiously nostalgic since we had both been educated in school buildings and lived in houses dating from the same era in Europe and North America. You’ll see parquet floors, brass hardware and rippled glass in the solid wood doors besides distinctly Japanese architectural features. Admission is free, and the villa is open every day except Mondays.