Tamozawa Imperial Villa

What to know

Tamozawa Imperial Villa (田母沢御用邸, Tamozawa Goyōtei) blends traditional Edo and early modern Meiji Period architecture across its 106 rooms. Built in Nikko in 1899, it incorporates parts of a residence originally located in Tokyo.

Before moving to Nikko, the building served as the Tokyo home of a Tokugawa family branch and later temporarily as the Imperial Palace. In Nikko, it was expanded into a summer retreat for the Imperial Family, but fell into disrepair after World War II. In 2000, after extensive renovations, the villa opened to the public.

Beyond its illustrious history, Tamozawa Imperial Villa is one of Japan's largest surviving wooden structures. The interior intriguingly blends Japanese and Western styles: many rooms have carpets and elaborate chandeliers, yet sliding paper doors and tatami flooring remain prominent.

Though still grand, the villa now occupies only a third of its original area. It functions as a museum and memorial park with multilingual displays. The manicured Japanese garden surrounding the villa features maple trees that offer autumn colors usually from late October to early November.

From JR or Tobu Nikko Station, take a Tobu bus bound for Chuzenji Onsen or Yumoto Onsen and get off at the Tamozawa bus stop. The ride takes 10 minutes and costs 350 yen one way. The villa is also about a 20-minute walk from Toshogu Shrine.