This Edo-period dwelling in Nakatsu was the home of Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835–1901), a man who would become a crucial figure in the westernization of Japan. After visiting the United States in 1860, he came back to Japan and advocated for the improvement of the education system in his 1872 book, An Encouragement of Learning. He would later go on to found Keio University in Tokyo. Today, his likeness is featured on the 10,000-yen note.
Fukuzawa’s childhood home is located a few blocks away from Nakatsu Castle. In addition to the historical significance of the man who occupied it, the home itself is a good example of Edo-period (1603–1867) architecture, and the museum next door contains manuscripts and other artifacts from Fukuzawa’s time there.