ODAWARA, Kanagawa -- A Western style building constructed near Sagami Bay in this east Japan city in 1937 was a vacation home of a Meiji period (1868-1912) minister, and now serves as a literature museum, offering a rich view of greenery from its open spaces.

The Odawara Literature Museum, nestled near the shore of Sagami Bay south of Tokyo, was once a villa of Mitsuaki Tanaka (1843-1939), who served as the minister of the Imperial Household during the Meiji era. The expansive grounds have a traditional Japanese-style house and a Western-style building. The latter, designed by architect Tatsuzo Sone (1853-1937), is a three-story structure with some single-story sections. It currently serves as the literature museum's main building.

The roof of the building is covered with emerald Spanish tiles, glazed for a glossy finish. These rounded tiles, resembling halved cylinders, create gentle curves. On the south side of the first and second floors, there are sunrooms with semioctagonal spaces extending outward, offering views of the lush greenery spreading out in front. The central staircase on the north side is built with a gentle slope, with black marble railings contrasting against the plaster walls. The wide wooden steps and other details reflect meticulous designs.

The Japanese-style house on the grounds is a two-story wooden structure built in 1924. It currently serves as the museum's annex, displaying materials related to poet Hakushu Kitahara (1885-1942), who is said to have created more than half of his children's songs in Odawara.

(Japanese original by Akihiro Ogomori, Photo and Video Department)

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The Japanese version of this article was originally published on July 24, 2022.

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