Matsunaga Memorial Estate

A pretty villa in the city of Odawara

Shehzad Lokhandwalla Sep 25, 2013 - 1 min read

Matsunaga was religious and hence the estate has many statues all around

The house is not only well decorated on the inside, but also the exteriors have a lot of details

The part of the wall is transparent to show others that it is supported by bamboo sticks. This again goes with Matsunaga's concept of being humble.

A piece of stone that restrict visitors to access a door.

The tea house wall has the shape of a tea pot

Located in the outskirts of Odawara, Matsunaga is a villa or vacation home that belonged to Yasuzaemon Matsunaga who was a famous businessman. It is definitely one of the biggest private estates owned in Odawara, and it was used by Matsunaga to make important decisions or just take time off work.

It is secluded from the city, and it surrounded with a lot of vegetation that adds to the peacefulness of this place. There are many interesting facts about his place. He believed in being humble and making others humble, so he made all the entrances very low. He also used a tradition of used bits of paper to make windows for the tea house.

The biggest highlight of this place is the design of the numerous tea houses. And you could also rent this estate for half a day and live like an Japanese elite in a place full of serenity.

Shehzad Lokhandwalla @shehzad.lokhandwalla

I'm a student at the University of California, Davis and I love traveling and photography. I'm currently interning with JapanTourist as a photojournalist, and immersing myself into Japanese culture. Two random facts about me: I am left handed/ambidextrous and have visited more than 30 countri...