Kajiyama Goten
Kajiyama Goten (Kajiyama Palace) was built in the Edo period (1603–1867) in a corner of the grounds of Kushima Castle as a second residence for members of the Omura family. The palace was built by Omura Sumiyoshi (1786–1838), the tenth lord of the Omura domain, and the family was allowed to keep the residence after the castle was demolished in 1871. The current structure is a single-story residence that dates to 1915.
In 1868, the Omura family fought on the side of the imperial forces in the Boshin War against the supporters of the Tokugawa shogunate. The victory by the imperial side marked the end of the political authority of the shogunate and the restoration of sovereign power to the emperor. In the Meiji Restoration, daimyo families lost their titles and land holdings, and many castles, including Kushima Castle, were demolished, but the former daimyo families who supported the restoration of imperial rule were rewarded. The Omura family was accorded a title in the new peerage of the Empire of Japan and allowed to keep Kajiyama Goten, along with a residence in Tokyo.
The current structure honors the original design of the residence and is built in a typical sukiya style, inspired by the elegant simplicity of tea house architecture. Rooms with tatami flooring are separated by sliding fusuma doors, and an enclosed veranda runs along one side of the home, affording views of a landscaped garden with Omura Bay as the backdrop. In 1963, Nagasaki Prefecture took over the management of the property. Kajiyama Goten presently serves as an educational facility and is not open to the public.
