A Brick Villa with Verandas by Shimizu-gumi
The Rakurakuso Western-Style Building (楽々荘洋館) is the Western-style house of Tanaka Gentaro, designed and built by Shimizu-gumi of around 1898 in Kitamachi, Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on June 12, 1997 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey brick building, partly timber, with a tiled roof and a building area of 103 square metres; registration number 26-0003.
Verandas to the East and South
Rakurakuso was built around 1898 as the home of Tanaka Gentaro, who sat in both the House of Representatives and the House of Peers (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Western-style building was designed and built by Shimizu-gumi.
Its exterior is marked by verandas on the east and south, and inside each room has its own flooring and fireplace, an elaborate building showing a high level of skill throughout (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it as a structure that would not be easy to reproduce.
What to Look For
Look for the verandas on the east and south and the different floors and fireplaces of each room (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Komyo Culture and Arts Co., Ltd. (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to the restaurant listing (Gurunavi), the buildings are used by the restaurant Ganko Kameoka Rakurakuso, with private dining rooms in the Western-style building; check the restaurant for opening hours. The Western-style building, Japanese-style building and entrance are introduced together on the Rakurakuso page.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- Around 1898 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Whose home was it?
- The politician Tanaka Gentaro.
- Who built it?
- Shimizu-gumi, as designer and builder.
- How is it used now?
- As private rooms of a restaurant.
- When was the Rakurakuso Western-Style Building registered?
- On June 12, 1997 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Rakurakuso Western-Style Building (楽々荘洋館) |
|---|---|
| Location | 44 Kitamachi, Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1997/06/12 (Heisei 9) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey brick, partly timber, tiled roof, 103 m² |
| Owner | Komyo Culture and Arts Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | In use as a restaurant (Gurunavi) |
References
- Rakurakuso Western-Style Building (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000218
- Ganko Kameoka Rakurakuso (Gurunavi restaurant listing, in Japanese)
- https://r.gnavi.co.jp/hm6wd47g0000/
Last verified: 2026.10.26
