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A
message from the curator
The Choshu clan moved the seat of their administration from Hagi City,
where they had been made to stay for a considerable time after they lost
the Sekigahara battle, to Yamaguchi
City in 1863. They
administered the provinces of Suo(east Yamaguchi
Prefecture) and Nagato(west Yamaguchi Prefecture)
from Seiji-do, which was built as a local governmental office for Yamaguchi City, from 1866 after the second
conquest of Choshu.
Saito Kobei, who was the manager of the kitchen for the feudal
lord Mori, moved from Hagi to Yamaguchi. He opened a high-class
Japanese-style restaurant, which also functioned as a guesthouse for
entertaining people from all over the country. Politicians, financiers, and
artists from not only Yamaguchi
City but from other
prefectures frequented it. The restaurant served patrons through 4 periods,
Meiji, Taisho, Showa, and Heisei, for over 130 years. The Foreign Minister,
Kaoru Inoue, named the restaurant “Saikoutei” after its manager. The Minister was attacked and seriously
injured after a meeting in Yamaguchi in 1864.
Saikoutei has a magnificent 152 tatami mat hall (253㎡), which is a typical characteristic of an old style Japanese
restaurant. It was on TV, as one of the best restaurants in Japan
and represents Japanese culture called “Ozashiki”. In Saikoutei, there is a fine collection of calligraphy, which
gives the feeling of transition from old Japan
to modern Japan.
The calligraphy works were made by
famous Japanese Samurai and government officials such as, Kaoru
Inoue, Hirobumi Ito, Takayoshi Kido (Kogoro Katsura), Aritomo Yamagata, all
who came from Yamaguchi. These calligraphies, written by historical figures
from Yamaguchi, make us think about their personalities
Ikutaro Nishida,the famous philosopher,
was transferred to Yamaguchi High School from Kanazawa, as a philosophy teacher in
1897. Below are some entries from his diary.
January 29th:
Visited Sesshu
Temple in the
afternoon.
January 30th: Went
sightseeing at the waterfall in Yoshiki.
February 25th: Had a
meeting at Saikoutei in the afternoon.
Saikoutei was not only used by public figures, but also by
teachers in Yamaguchi and former Yamaguchi
High School students
for their convivial meeting.
The novel “Ten to chi to” (The Heaven and The Earth), which was written by Masao Kume at
the end of the Taisho period, made the restaurant nationally famous. This
restaurant was the location for the novel, which was serialized in the
magazine “Fujokai”.
Saikoutei
was the first place in Yamaguchi to begin to serve western cuisine in 1887.
During the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 Saikoutei was used to hold Russian
army officers as prisoners of war.
Agency for Cultural Affairs reported that Saikoutei is
invaluable, as it has preserved the historical and cultural characteristic
of a traditional Japanese restaurant.
It is hoped that this museum will be popular with citizens, as a
beacon and help to create a new cultural historical area in Yamaguchi City.
Museum Guide
Yamaguchi City’s Saikoutei opened on October 2, 2004 as a sightseeing center
for Yamaguchi, which has a wealth of history, and also as a place for
people to communicate. The buildings, which had been known as a high-class
Japanese-style restaurant called “Gion- Saikoutei” were dismantled and reconstructed where they stand now .The
restaurant opened in 1877 and stayed in operation until 1996. 23 frame
works of calligraphy by Kaoru Inoue, Eisaku Sato, and other famous
historical figures of Yamaguchi, and relics connected to them, are
exhibited here.
The museum is an invaluable building as a symbol of modern
history of Japan,
which has preserved most of its history and its culture, and as a place to
pass on its history to the next generation. It also offers a place for
cultural activities for citizens, and is a central location planning
cultural events for the Odono area, which recalls the ambiance of the Ouchi
Era.
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Opening hours
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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The
museum parking lot can accommodate up to 7 buses and 105 cars for free.
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Two
wheelchairs are available for disabled people for use inside the building
and toilets.
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Days closed
Every Tuesday (or the following day if it is a
national holiday)
Winter holiday season( From Dec. 29th
through Jan.3rd )
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Admission
fee
General (from high school students to
adults) \100
Elementary school and junior high school
students \50
Free admission for children under the age of 6
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Please Note
Smoking is not permitted in the museum
Pets and dangerous
objects are not allowed in the museum.
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Museum
services
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Bicycle
Rental
Bicycles
are available for sightseeing for the surrounding area
・ Fees for bicycle;
Per day ( over 4 hours )
/ \400
Up to 4 hours / \200
・ Fees for electric bicycle;
Per day ( over 4 hours )
/ \500
Up to 4 hours / \300
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Museum
Shop
You can purchase craft works such as glass,
silk-cocoons, and Ouchi Lacquerware ,as well as Saikoutei museum’s original items such as postcards and
art books.
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Tea
Service
Green tea with sweets are served in the
hall from 1:00 p.m.until 4:00 p.m on the 1st, 2nd ,
and 3rd weekend of every month.
Green tea and sweets / \400
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How to get
to the museum
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By
train
22 minute journey from JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station. Get
off at JR Yamaguchi Station on the Yamaguchi line ( then use a bus or
taxi).
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By car
It takes about 7 minutes from JR Yamaguchi station. (
on route 9, near Nanaoyama tunnel)
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By JR Bus
from Yamaguchi station
Take the bus bound for Higasi-Hagi Station. Get off
at the bus stop in front of Noda
High School mae and
it is a 2 minute walk to the museum.
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By
Community Bus from Yamaguchi Station
Take bus bound for Gojunotou (Five-Story Pagoda). Get
off at Noda bus stop and it is
a 3 minute walk to the museum.
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