Omori: Kawashima House
Counted among the most prosperous samurai families in Omori during the Edo period (1603–1867), the Kawashima family included high-ranking officials charged with the supervision of miners at Iwami Ginzan. Hired by the local magistrate, who represented the central government in this region, the family held this post from 1610 until the end of feudal rule in 1867. Their influence and wealth are reflected in their large estate, built soon after a fire destroyed most of the town in 1800. Storehouses and supplementary wings were added until 1825, when the house assumed its current appearance.
Now open to the public, the residence is decorated with art, tableware, utensils, and other items to illustrate how the family lived some two centuries ago. Facing the front of the house, you will notice two entrances: the smaller one on the left was for residents, while the large doors on the right, which lead up to two tatami-mat rooms facing a small garden, were only opened for important guests such as the magistrate, other officials, and local elders. Sitting on the veranda that opens onto the garden, you can imagine some of the serious conversations that once took place here.