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| Photo by Alena Eckelmann |
Want to glimpse life in Showa-era Japan without even leaving Shinjuku? Make your way to the Hayashi Fumiko Memorial Hall, a rustic house built by the noted Japanese author in 1941, and opened to the public in 1992. The mini-estate is replete with a serene garden and period architecture hard to find elsewhere in the capital. Divided into two wings, the one-story home features rooms preserved from when Hayashi (1903-1951) lived there with her husband, painter Rokubin Tezuka. Pick up an English-language pamphlet and browse the library, guest parlor, study (now converted into a gallery space), and the veranda overlooking the garden. It’s easy to imagine Hayashi sitting, gazing out at the greenery and penning some of Japan’s most renowned feminist prose.
2-20-1 Nakai, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: 03-5996-9207. Open Tue-Sun 10am-4:30pm, closed Mon. Admission: ¥150. Nearest stn: Nakai (Toei Oedo line). Alena Eckelmann
Source: Metropolis
