The Kitahara Family separated from the sake brewery in Takato, Shinano (present-day Nagano Prefecture) in 1750 and moved to Daigahara to open its own brewery. This was the origin of the Yamanashi Meijo sake brewery in Hokuto City that is known for its delicious Shichiken. Yamanashi Meijo is located in the middle of Daigahara-shuku in the former Kitahara Family Residence, a large townhouse with a 2-story structure and a gable roof. It is designated a tangible cultural property by Yamanashi Prefecture.
The main building of the Kitahara Family Residence was built in 1835. To celebrate completion of the construction, the Governor Naito of Suruga Region, who was also the lord of Takato Castle, gave transoms with “seven wise men in a bamboo forest” carved by Tatekawa Senshiro Tomitane, a carpenter in Suwa who specialized in temple and shrine construction. This was where the name of “shichiken” sake comes from. Currently, the transoms remain in the back room, which is built in the traditional style of Japanese residential architecture called shoin-zukuri.
When Emperor Meiji visited Koshu in 1880, this back room with transoms, called anzai-sho, was selected as the emperor’s accommodations. It was designated a historic landmark by the former Ministry of Education (current Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) from 1933 until the end of the war. During that time, the room was roped off and no one, not even the Kitahara Family members, could enter.
Yamanashi Meijo has opened the back room, including the transoms with the “seven wise men in a bamboo forest” carving, to the general public, and refurbished a rice storehouse to serve as an exhibition room, which they named Denso-gura. Opened in June 2021, the Denso-gura exhibits valuable works of art owned by the Kitahara Family, items associated with Emperor Meiji, and collections of local materials that are changed each season. Reservations are required for visits to the back room (anzai-sho) and Denso-gura (by 16:00 on the day before the planned visit). Staff guide visitors and provide explanations of the exhibits.
The main building of the Kitahara Family Residence was built in 1835. To celebrate completion of the construction, the Governor Naito of Suruga Region, who was also the lord of Takato Castle, gave transoms with “seven wise men in a bamboo forest” carved by Tatekawa Senshiro Tomitane, a carpenter in Suwa who specialized in temple and shrine construction. This was where the name of “shichiken” sake comes from. Currently, the transoms remain in the back room, which is built in the traditional style of Japanese residential architecture called shoin-zukuri.
When Emperor Meiji visited Koshu in 1880, this back room with transoms, called anzai-sho, was selected as the emperor’s accommodations. It was designated a historic landmark by the former Ministry of Education (current Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) from 1933 until the end of the war. During that time, the room was roped off and no one, not even the Kitahara Family members, could enter.
Yamanashi Meijo has opened the back room, including the transoms with the “seven wise men in a bamboo forest” carving, to the general public, and refurbished a rice storehouse to serve as an exhibition room, which they named Denso-gura. Opened in June 2021, the Denso-gura exhibits valuable works of art owned by the Kitahara Family, items associated with Emperor Meiji, and collections of local materials that are changed each season. Reservations are required for visits to the back room (anzai-sho) and Denso-gura (by 16:00 on the day before the planned visit). Staff guide visitors and provide explanations of the exhibits.