Having 150th anniversary of TAISEI HOKAN (Restoration of Imperial Rule), this year I got very excited even more to learn the history of the end days of Tokugawa shogunate.

Among the heroes of the era, Takayoshi Kido was one of the three most distinguished statesmen who contributed to the Meiji Restoration. In Kyoto, the Kido Takayoshi Old Residence is still well-preserved standing by the beautiful KAMO river.

Takayoshi Kido passed away in 1877. Before his death, the Emperor Meiji paid a visit to Takayoshi. Since it was extremely rare for an emperor to visit somebody, the story conveys us the depth of the emperor’s sympathy and trust in Takayoshi.

Beside the old residence, there is the Daruma-Doh hall where a great number of DARUMA dolls are exhibited. The collection was made by Chutaro Kido, the adopted son of Takayoshi, and the view of thousands of DARUMA dolls is somehow powerful and spooky. If you would like to visit there, please contact Shokuin Kaikan Kamogawa at "http://www.kyotocity-kouseikai.jp/kamogawa/".

Kido Takayoshi Old Residence/Daruma Doh

Free of charge

5 mins on foot from Kawaramachi-Marutamachi, Kyoto city bus

MAP:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E5%A4%A9%E7%9A%87%E5%BE%A1%E8%A1%8C%E6%89%80%E3%80%81%E6%9C%A8%E6%88%B8%E9%82%B8/@35.015483,135.770681,19z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xe4ddae4fb59af07a!8m2!3d35.0154831!4d135.7706808?hl=en

Akane Kibune