The Former Yukawa Residence is an example of a late Edo era samurai home. The house is located along the Aiba river, and was built incorporating the river into the design of the house. The Yukawa diverted the river into the garden from where it flows into the kitchen before rejoining the river. The house is open daily from 9:00am to 5:00 pm, and the admission is 100 yen. Visitors are free to walk around, and the volunteer guides have always been very delightful and happy to share interesting tidbits of information (in Japanese) regarding the Yukawa family and overall life during the Edo period (1603-1867). Hagi city is in Yamaguchi prefecture. During the Edo period, the Choshu clan gained control of the area, and moved their political capital from Akinokuni, in present day Hiroshima, to Hagi castle at the foot of Mt. Shizuki, in 1608. Sadly, the castle was demolished at the turn of the 19th century. The city’s lack of access to major highways has been blamed for its declining population but may also be the reason why the city retains its historic charm.
