About
A Japanese-style villa stands quietly in a tranquil residential area of Inage Ward, Chiba City. Its name is “Chiba City Yukari-no-Ie Inage.” This house is known as the place where, in 1937 (Showa 12), Pujie—the younger brother of the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, Aisin Gioro Puyi—and his wife Hiro spent their newlywed days.
Passing through the gate, a meticulously maintained garden unfolds, with seasonal flowers welcoming visitors throughout the year. The main building is a single-story wooden structure, featuring delicate designs such as coffered ceilings, hexagonal lattice transoms, and frost-patterned glass shoji screens. The detached room has a quince-shaped window, exuding a refined sukiya-style atmosphere.
In the Western-style room of the main building, photographs from the time of Pujie and Hiro’s newlywed period are on display, evoking memories of their happy days together. There are also exhibits of Chinese poems composed by Pujie during his time in this house, and his brushwork vividly conjures up scenes from that era.
In the backyard, a Chinese fringe tree donated by their second daughter, Fukunaga Kosei, has been planted. In early May, clusters of small white flowers bloom, displaying a beauty reminiscent of white clouds drifting across the sky.
This house is registered as a tangible cultural property of Chiba City, as a valuable example of Japanese-style villa architecture that conveys the history of Inage, which, since the mid-Meiji period, has been visited by many literary and artistic figures as a retreat. Visitors can reflect on the newlywed days of Pujie and Hiro spent here and feel the breath of history.