Former Suzuki Family Samurai House and Shunrantei Café
This restored samurai residence was home to a branch of the Suzuki warrior family. They were retainers of Shiraishi Munenao (1577–1629), who was later known as Date Munenao after becoming the first head of the governing Date family in Toyoma. When Munenao took up the position in 1604 and moved to Toyoma from nearby Mizusawa, the Suzuki family followed.
The exact age of the building is unknown. It was a residence until 1989, when it was donated to and became a designated Cultural Property of the city. After careful restoration of the building in 1990, a café called Shunrantei opened inside the building.
The residence is a fine example of rural architecture from the Edo period (1603–1867). One feature is a Toyoma-style irori open hearth set into the wooden floor and surrounded by polished boards. A small tatami room with a chest of drawers, a makeup mirror, and other Suzuki family memorabilia recreates the building’s domestic past. True to its warrior origins, antique weapons such as a spear and naginata (a polearm with a curved blade) hang on the wall.
The name Shunrantei comes from shunrancha, a tea made from the orchids that grow in the garden each spring. The café and former warrior residence are popular as a place to relax, enjoy light refreshments, and take photos around the historic building and garden.
