In the historic castle town of Chofu in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, the Chofu Mori Residence preserves the world of a former daimyo family at the beginning of modern Japan. Commissioned by Mototoshi Mori, the fourteenth head of the Chofu Mori family, it was completed in 1903. Its substantial timber gate and main house, interconnected tatami rooms, deep verandas and carefully composed gardens reveal a refined continuity between samurai residential traditions and the public life of the Meiji era.
A family seat built on the return to Chofu
Construction began in 1898 and the residence was completed in June 1903 as a home for the Mori family after their return from Tokyo. In November 1902, before completion, the residence served as an anzai-sho, or temporary imperial lodging, for Emperor Meiji on his journey to and from military exercises in Kumamoto. Parts of the rooms associated with his stay survive today.
Tatami rooms opening toward the garden
Sliding partitions allow the great hall to expand into a broad sequence of tatami rooms. Columns, beams, transoms and shoji establish a formal rhythm, while open doors and verandas carry daylight and garden air deep into the house.
Verandas frame a quiet courtyard
Courtyards appear between the rooms as one moves through the residence. The deep eaves and verandas are not simply circulation: they are places from which to pause and observe light, shade, gravel, moss and foliage. The courtyard plan brings seasonal change into the centre of this large house.
Old trees and architecture layered in time
To the south lie a shoin garden and a strolling pond garden. Walls, tiled roofs, stonework and mature trees form a single landscape. Walking outside reveals new profiles of the main house, while old pines and other large trees embody the time accumulated around it.
Visitor information and access
The residence is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with last admission at 4:40 p.m. It closes from 28 December to 4 January. Admission is ¥210 for adults and ¥100 for elementary and junior-high-school students.
From JR Shimonoseki Station, take a bus for about 23 minutes to Joka-machi Chofu, then walk about ten minutes. The same stop is about ten minutes by bus from JR Chofu Station. Paid parking is available nearby.
The residence is memorable not only for its formal history. Its sliding rooms, shaded verandas, carefully measured distance to the garden and mature trees reveal how a Japanese house can be experienced as one continuous environment.
Visitor information was checked against the official Chofu Mori Residence and Yamaguchi Tourism websites on 5 October 2026. Confirm current details before visiting.