■Residence of chief retainer
The old residence of Shurei Oyamada as a chief retainer (10,000 goku) in
the Yagyu domain. Shurei moved from Edo (presently Tokyo) to Nara as a
domain chief retainer in 1826, succeeded to restructure the domain's financial
situation as working at Nanto residence of the Yagyu domain. He was retired
in 1845 as transferring reigns of the family to his son and spent a rest
of his life in this residence which was given by the load Toshiakira Tajimanokami
Yagyu. It was the background of this residence and the construction was
started in August 1847 and completed in June 1848. Although Shurei passed
away at age of 75 in 1856, his descendents stayed in the region even after
the abolition of domain, and Toshimasu Yagyu (later renamed to Toshiro)
as an old domain load visited this residence three times. Although the
rice storehouse and other adjunct facilities were removed during the period
of Showa, the main building still almost holds its original appearance
at the time of the initial construction and it is the only heritage of
Samurai residence in Nara prefecture. His decedents moved to Omori-cho
of Nara prefecture in 1956 and the residence was owned by a local resident,
but a writer Sohachi Yamaoka purchased the residence in 1964 and stayed
here often since then. Later, the residence was donated to Nara-city by
the deceased family member and Mr. and Mrs. Kenji Yamako. For the public
exhibition, the main building as well as the garden and moat was reconstructed
and then exhibited the residence related information in the exhibition
room as assigning the part of the residence for it.
■Shurei Oyamada (1781-1856)
He was born in Makinouchimura-village, Iwase-gun region Iwashiro-no-kuni
(presently Makinouchi Teneimura, Fukushima prefecture). He was a younger
brother of a local Samurai Goemon Oyamada and his childhood name was Yaichiro.
When age of 35 in 1806, he was serving at the official building of the
Yagyu domain in Edo (presently Tokyo). As his talent being recognized,
he was promoted to an important position, then moved to Nara as a domain
chief retainer at age of 45 in 1826. He was a head of the Nanto residence
of the Yagyu domain and gained a reputation by saving the domain financial
situation with earning huge profit from the rice market in Dojima, Osaka.
According to the oral tradition, his wife Yasujo predicted the rice price
increase/decrease by river water temperature under the Konnyaku bridge.
He was also a fine master of Tea ceremony as an apprentice of Sousen Kizu
(Kankyu-anryu from the Kishu domain or presently Wakayama prefecture) and
enjoyed the ceremony with naming "Zuisho-ni-tanoshimu" for the
residence in Mochiido-cho while he was engaged in official tasks. He was
retired at age of 65 in 1846 as transferring reigns of the family to his
adoptive heir Kozo Saburonosuke. Later, he build the new residence and
moved here, but it is said that he received the instruction from Shosen
to build the garden.
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