The Largest Building at Kajikaen
Kajikaen Shazanso (河鹿園射山荘, Shazansō) is a 2-story wooden guest wing built in 1930, standing north of center at Kajikaen, a former restaurant inn in Mitakehonmachi, Ōme City, Tokyo, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 17, 2020.
Kajikaen Shazanso runs east to west under an Irimoya-zukuri hip-and-gable roof of metal sheet. At 203 square meters it is the largest of the eight buildings at Kajikaen. The name is read sha-zan-sō. It was extended in 1989.
The entrance sits at the west end of the south front, and the ground floor is a single hall of 51 tatami mats. Most guest wings here pair off rooms of about 8 mats; this one open space was presumably where banquets and large parties were held. Upstairs are guest rooms, among them the 8-mat Matsu no Ma (Pine Room).
Fine Timber and Inventive Joinery
Kajikaen Shazanso was registered as a model of design, number 13-0444. The Agency for Cultural Affairs points to its lavish use of choice timber around the alcoves, including kawarigi, and to joinery it calls original.
Kawarigi are pieces of wood that keep a natural burl, bend or twist, prized for accents in sukiya-style alcoves. At Shazansō they are not a single flourish but are used freely around the alcove.
The standout is the chigaidana, the staggered display shelves beside the Tokonoma. These are normally flat boards. Here the top surfaces are shaped into a gentle convex curve, a carpenter's playful twist on a standard form.
Upstairs Rooms With Built-In Wardrobes
Each room on the upper floor of Kajikaen Shazanso has a Western-style wardrobe built into the structure. Fitting Western storage into tatami rooms suggests that by the early Showa years the inn was receiving guests who travelled in Western clothes.
Banquet on the ground floor, sleep upstairs: Shazansō could handle both within one building.
Visiting Shazansō
During exhibition periods, when Kajikaen opens as a museum, the hall and rooms of Kajikaen Shazanso may be used for displays. Which spaces open varies with each exhibition, so check ahead if you hope to see the shelves or wardrobes.
The staggered shelves sit below eye level; crouch and look along the edge of each board to see the raised top. Ask at reception about photography.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Tokyo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kajikaen Shazanso
- [ Tokyo Skytree Asakusa & teamLab Experiences ]
Q&A
- When was Kajikaen Shazanso built?
- It was built in 1930 as a 2-story wooden guest wing and extended in 1989.
- How big is Kajikaen Shazanso?
- Its building area is 203 square meters, the largest of Kajikaen's eight buildings. The ground floor is a single hall of 51 tatami mats.
- Why was Kajikaen Shazanso registered as a cultural property?
- It was registered on August 17, 2020, as a model of design, for its generous use of choice timber around the alcoves and inventive joinery such as display shelves with convex tops.
- What is special about the upper floor of Kajikaen Shazanso?
- The guest rooms, including the 8-mat Pine Room, each have a built-in Western-style wardrobe.
- Can visitors go inside Kajikaen Shazanso?
- Its hall and rooms may be used for displays during exhibition periods (11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays). What is open varies by exhibition.
Basic Information
| Name | Kajikaen Shazanso (河鹿園射山荘) |
|---|---|
| Location | 335 Mitakehonmachi, Ome City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered on August 17, 2020 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2-story wooden building, metal-sheet roof, building area 203 square meters |
| Owner | Private |
| Public Access | Open during exhibition periods (11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database of Cultural Properties: Kajikaen Shazanso
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013366
- Cultural Heritage Online: Kajikaen Shazanso
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/447373
- Ome City: Cultural Properties of Ome (Registered Tangible Cultural Properties)
- https://www.city.ome.tokyo.jp/site/provincial-history-museum/3143.html
- Ome Tourism Guide: Ryokan Building Shitsurai Art Museum Kajikaen
- https://www.omekanko.gr.jp/spot/11301/
Last verified: 2026.09.23
