The Former Okudani Residence of Shimane University is a charming Western-style wooden house in Okudani-cho, Matsue, Shimane Prefecture. Built in 1924 during the Taisho period, it originally served as official housing for foreign teachers at the former Matsue Higher School. Today, the building is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan and is valued as an important reminder of Matsue’s history of education and international cultural exchange.
The residence was built for foreign teachers working at the former Matsue Higher School, an institution that played an important role in the development of modern higher education in Japan.
Originally, two residences with identical designs stood side by side. Residence No. 1 was used by a German-language teacher, while Residence No. 2 housed an English-language teacher. However, Residence No. 2 was destroyed by fire in 1937, leaving the No. 1 residence as the only surviving building of the pair.
The house therefore represents not only the architecture of the Taisho era but also a period when foreign educators were becoming an important part of Japan’s modern educational landscape.
The Former Okudani Residence is a two-story wooden Western-style house with the steeply pitched triangular roof characteristic of Western-inspired architecture popular during the Taisho period.
The upper floor projects outward, with its weight supported by columns around the entrance porch. This distinctive design gives the building a graceful appearance while reflecting the architectural experimentation of early 20th-century Japan.
The exterior also features different finishes on each floor. The first floor has horizontal wooden siding, while the second floor is finished with a textured cement-mortar coating. The contrast between these materials creates a distinctive visual character.
Double and triple windows are arranged around the building, allowing plenty of natural light into the interior. These details reveal how Western residential design was adapted to the Japanese environment of the period.
The interior has undergone renovations over the years, but some original features remain. In a room on the northeastern side of the first floor, the original plaster walls and ceiling have been preserved in good condition.
The staircase railing is decorated with Art Deco-style carvings, providing another glimpse into the modern aesthetic that emerged during the Taisho era. Together, these details give visitors a sense of the sophisticated yet distinctive atmosphere of early modern Japan.
Before World War II, the residence was home to several foreign scholars who contributed to modern education and cultural exchange in Japan.
Among them was Dr. Wilhelm Plage, known in Japan for his work related to copyright and sometimes referred to as the “Father of Copyright.” Another was Dr. Fritz Kalsh, a German scholar who became popular among Japanese people and was sometimes described as a “second Lafcadio Hearn.” Dr. Hans Schwalbe, who served as president of the Society for the Study of German Oriental Culture, was also associated with the residence.
After World War II, the building was taken over by Shimane University and continued to serve as housing for university faculty. Among its residents was Dr. Berthold Aronstein, a German-American educator who made significant contributions to English-language education in Shimane Prefecture.
The house was therefore much more than a private residence. It was a place where people from Japan and overseas met, lived, taught, and exchanged knowledge, making it a small but meaningful symbol of international cultural exchange.
After the war, the building was used as accommodation and university staff housing. In 2007, it was officially registered as a Tangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government.
Restoration work was carried out in 2009 to bring the building’s appearance closer to its original form. Today, it is open to the public as a satellite facility of the Shimane University Museum.
Exhibitions and cultural events are held here, allowing visitors to learn more about the history of the building and the people connected with it. Its distinctive appearance has also earned it the affectionate local nickname “Matsue’s Totoro House”, a reference to the charming old house depicted in the popular Japanese animated film My Neighbor Totoro.
The building is particularly attractive to visitors interested in architecture and Japanese history. The Taisho period, from 1912 to 1926, was a time when Japan was rapidly modernizing while still retaining many traditional customs and architectural traditions.
The Former Okudani Residence captures this mixture of old and new. Its Western-style appearance reflects Japan’s growing international connections, while its wooden construction and carefully preserved details remain rooted in the architectural culture of the country.
The residence is located within Matsue’s historic castle-town district, making it an ideal stop during a walking tour. Matsue Castle, one of Japan’s surviving original castle towers and a National Treasure, is nearby, as are the former residence of Lafcadio Hearn, the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum, Shiomi Nawate, the former Samurai Residence, Meimei-an tea house, and the Tabe Museum.
Visitors can combine these attractions to experience several layers of Matsue’s history, from the samurai era and traditional tea culture to the city’s modern international connections.
The residence is generally open on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays, including substitute holidays. Opening hours are generally from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
From JR Matsue Station, take a city bus heading toward the University or Kawazu area. The journey takes approximately 15 minutes. Get off at the Kitahoricho bus stop and walk for about five minutes.
The Former Okudani Residence of Shimane University offers a fascinating look at a lesser-known chapter of Matsue’s history. Its elegant Taisho-era architecture tells the story of a Japan that was rapidly opening to the wider world, while the foreign teachers who lived here played a role in connecting Japanese education with international knowledge.
For travelers exploring Matsue, the residence provides a different perspective from the city’s castles, samurai houses, and traditional tea culture. After admiring the Western-style architecture, take a leisurely walk through the surrounding historic streets and discover how Matsue developed as a place where Japanese tradition and international culture came together.