Birthplace of Ogai Mori
Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwano has outstanding shrines and temples, incredible festivals, hot springs, sake breweries, a Christian history, an amazing garden, and even a steam train.
Ogai Mori was born in 1862 in Tsuwano. He held various jobs such as army surgeon, novelist, translator, critic, and playwright. After he got the University of Tokyo, He became an army surgeon. He went to study abroad in Germany from 1881 to 1884. He developed into a well educated adult there. After he came back to Japan, he caused controversy on medical and literary world. He wrote some novels. Maihime (The Dancing Girl) was his first work. He spent a decade translating Improvisatoren (即興詩人) into Japanese, and it made him to rise fame. He is as great a literary figure as Soseki Natsume. He passed away in 1922 at the age of 60.
His former is made of wood and it is one story. It has a tiled roof and it is made more simply style. If you go through the gate, you can see the direction board at left side. There is also a column signed with National Historic Landmarks. This house has some rooms with tatami flooring. His family line was doctor. So, this house has a room prescription laboratory. He became a doctor too. Left side of front door is said to be Ogai’s study.
0856-72-3210. We can go to there by bus from Tsuwano station to there about 6 minutes. Utility time is from 9:00 to 16:45. This house is open 365 days a year. It cost 100yen for entering. It has 35 parking spaces.
There is the memorial museum of Ogai Mori next to this house. The museum introduces Ogai’s life with video picture or his books. This building is modern literature resource center about Ogai Mori. There is a glassed-in Lobby, and you can see the birthplace of Ogai Mori from there. This building has two stories. On the first floor, there are some space as reception desk and exhibit room. On the second floor, there is a reference room. Open 9:00 to 4:40 pm. Open all around year, December to mid-March, every Monday is holiday. Closed the day after a holiday.
Fee: Adult is 600yen. Junior high school and high school students are 400yen. Elementary students are 250yen.
