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All Japan Former Ozu Residence
AO Edited

Former Ozu Residence

The former mansion complex of a merchant prince, related to a famed filmmaker.

Matsusaka, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
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Inside the Ozu mansion.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the Ozu mansion.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The courtyard.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Interior.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The former Ozu residence, Matsusaka.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
An Edo-period lion head exhibited inside.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Hydrangeas in the garden.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The city of Matsusaka is best known for its beef, the most expensive kind of wagyu. Historically, it was also a major emporium, where many of feudal Japan’s prominent merchants hail.

The merchant princes of Matsusaka include Mitsui Takatoshi, the founder of one of Japan's top conglomerates, and Ozu Seizaemon, whose descendants continue to run a major paper business called Ozu Washi in Tokyo. Also related to him was famed filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu, who spent his teenage years in Matsusaka.

The Ozu family flourished in Matsusaka, Ise, and Edo (Tokyo), considered the best paper manufacturer in Japan. Their mansion complex consisted of several residential buildings and nine warehouses, constructed and extended over many years between the late 17th and mid-19th centuries. Though only three-fifths of it survives, it is still a large complex.

The mansion stands along the Ise-kaidō road, which was often clogged with a crowd of pilgrims on their way to the Grand Shrine. As there were few inns in Matsusaka, many of them would have to resort to spending the night outside, huddling together under the nearby bridge. The Ozu family took it upon themselves to accommodate them as they could, serving the hungry pilgrims rice balls and such gratis.

Today, the Former Ozu Residence's exhibit is more than just historical architecture and ambience. On display here is a bronze manryo-bako, a huge chest used to store a large amount of gold. It's the only one of its kind known in Japan, and its presence is a testament to the family's prosperity.

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Cinema Mansions History & Culture

Know Before You Go

The Former Ozu Residence is open everyday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Wednesdays. Admission is 200 yen. If you're a fan of Yasujirō Ozu, make sure to also visit Matsusaka Castle, where there is a local history museum with an exhibit dedicated to his life.

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Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

July 22, 2024

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Former Ozu Residence
Matsusaka, 515-0081
Japan
34.579871, 136.529308

Nearby Places

Gojōban Yashiki Samurai Residences

Matsusaka, Japan

miles away

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Ise Grand Shrine

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Japan

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Explore the Destination Guide

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Stories 110

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