Kumamoto Sankaku Saiko Historic Building - Ryujokan: The Place Where Emperor Meiji and Saigo Takamori Met

#7月好去地方2025

Visiting the Sankaku West Port in Uki City, Kumamoto, is not only a walk in the harbor, but also a visit to the "Ryujokan" hidden by the harbor, which is full of historical traces. This Western-style building is not only a registered tangible cultural property of Japan, but also a memory of the era of Emperor Meiji, Saigo Takamori and Kumamoto Port.

🏛️ Origin and origin of the building
Ryujokan was built in 1918. It was originally the "Ten'o Sōtoku Memorial Hall" planned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Meiji's accession to the throne. Later, it was used as the Uto County Public Hall and Industrial Exhibition Hall to promote local education and industry. The site of the museum used to be the location of the inn "Urashima-ya" described by the literary giant Lafcadio Hearn in "Summer Dream".

The name "Ryujo-kan" comes from the fact that in 1872, when Emperor Meiji first visited western Japan, he boarded the warship "Ryujo" from Kumamoto to Kagoshima. Due to a sudden storm on that day, the Ryujo was urgently anchored in Sanjiao Bay. The accompanying military and political dignitaries included: Saigo Takamori, Saigo Tsukumichi, Kawamura Junyoshi, Tokudaiji Saneki, and more than 70 other people and a small team of guards. This history made "Ryujo" an important symbol of Sanjiao Port.

🚢 Trivia about the warship Ryujo
The warship was built by the Aberdeen Shipyard in the UK for the Higo Domain, and was later handed over to the Meiji government. It became one of the main battleships of the early Japanese Navy until the Fuso was launched in 1878.

🕰️ Useful information
・📍Address: Sankakuura, Sankaku-cho, Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture
・🅿️ Parking: Yes
・💰Tickets: 200 yen for adults, 100 yen for junior high and high school students, free for children, and group discounts
・🕘Opening hours: 09:00-17:00
・❌Closed on Tuesdays (if it is a holiday, it will be postponed to the next day) and the end and beginning of the year

👀 Whether you are a history buff, an architecture fan or a literary traveler, Ryujokan is a cultural highlight that you cannot miss in Sankaku Saiko. Why not walk into this quiet building in the sea breeze and meet the influential figures of the Meiji era by chance?

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