Former residence of Masatada Sato

overview

Former residence of Masatada Sato.
The Masatada Sato Residence is a samurai residence built in 1869 (Meiji 2) as the home of Taizo Kagawa, an important retainer of the Ikoma family. Taizo Kagawa was an Edo retainer and returned to Edo in 1872 (Meiji 5), shortly after the house was built.
Later, another retainer, Masatada Sato, purchased the house and moved it to this location.
The exterior of the building has a bay window on the west side of the tatami room, a roof with a sarugashira (“monkey head” reinforcement beam) with delicate latticework, and eaves with protruding beams.
The low floor is said to prevent intrusion from under the floor, and the low ceiling is characteristic of a samurai residence to prevent the wielding of swords.
Both the exterior and interior spaces are simple and neatly designed by Edo carpenters of the time.