
Former Aoi Family Residence
historic_site
青井阿蘇神社 / 旧青井家住宅母屋・西蔵・東蔵・門、禊橋(登録有形文化財)
Fifty-eight generations of the Aoi family served as head priests of Aoi Aso Jinja and lived within its precincts between the early ninth and late nineteenth centuries.
Built during the Edo period, this residence housed the head priests of Aoi Aso Jinja for 58 generations, from the early 9th century to the late 19th century. The formal tatami reception room, the keishoden, looks out on a garden on two sides, with sliding doors painted with wild geese, the moon, and ducks among reeds. In 1877, the house served as a base for Hitoyoshi troops during the Satsuma Rebellion, and a sword mark on a pillar in the tea room is believed to date from that period. Storehouses on the grounds hold artifacts from the shrine's festivals, and the garden includes an ancient well and a traditional arrangement of evergreen shrubs, plum trees, and rock formations.
Purify your hands at the temizuya before approaching the main hall. Left hand first, then right, then pour water into your left hand to rinse your mouth.
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