Mori Ogai’s Former Residence in Tsuwano Town, Shimane Prefecture, is the historic home where one of Japan’s most influential modern writers was born and spent his childhood. Located within the beautifully preserved castle town of Tsuwano, the residence is an important historic site that offers visitors a glimpse into the early life of a man who later became a celebrated novelist, critic, translator, and military physician.
Mori Ogai was born here on January 19, 1862, during the final years of the Edo period. His given name was Mori Rintaro. He later became a major figure in modern Japanese literature, known for works such as The Dancing Girl (Maihime), Takasegawa, Sansho the Steward, and The Wild Geese (Gan).
The Mori family had served for generations as domain physicians of the Tsuwano domain. Ogai therefore grew up in an environment where education and scholarship were highly valued from an early age.
The former residence stands in a quiet area near the Tsuwano River and retains the atmosphere of a traditional samurai-era residence. Ogai spent his childhood here until he was approximately 10 years old.
His father taught him Chinese classics and Rangaku, the study of Western knowledge through Dutch sources. Ogai is also said to have excelled at the Yorokan Domain School, where he studied classical texts such as the Analects of Confucius and the Mencius.
The intellectual environment of his childhood became an important foundation for the literary and philosophical interests that developed later in his life.
Inside the residence, visitors can see spaces associated with the Mori family’s life, including a room once used for preparing medicines and a restored four-and-a-half-tatami study room where young Ogai is said to have studied.
Standing in these modest rooms offers a tangible connection to the early years of the writer who would later play an important role in Japanese literature, medicine, and intellectual life.
One of the most memorable statements associated with Mori Ogai comes from his later years:
“I wish to die as Mori Rintaro, a man of Iwami.”
The words express his deep attachment to his birthplace. Although Ogai spent much of his adult life in Tokyo and abroad, he continued to identify himself with the person he had been in Tsuwano—the boy named Mori Rintaro who was born and raised in the historic region of Iwami.
Ogai left Tsuwano for Tokyo at around the age of 11 and never returned to live in his childhood home. Nevertheless, the memories and intellectual foundations of his early years in Tsuwano remained an important part of his identity.
After the Mori family moved to Tokyo, the residence was relocated to another site. In 1954, on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of Ogai’s death, Tsuwano Town repurchased the building and restored it at its present location.
A major restoration project was subsequently carried out in 1984 because of deterioration caused by age. The work was undertaken with care to preserve the character of the original residence.
In 1969, the former residence was designated a National Historic Site of Japan. Today, it is one of Tsuwano’s important cultural heritage sites and provides a valuable connection to the childhood of one of Japan’s most prominent modern intellectuals.
A monument inscribed with Ogai’s poem “Botan” stands in the garden of the former residence. Ogai wrote the poem while serving during the Russo-Japanese War, offering another perspective on his literary sensibility and his experiences as a military physician.
The inscription on the monument was written by the novelist Sato Haruo. For visitors interested in Japanese literature, the monument provides another opportunity to reflect on Ogai’s life and creative work.
Surrounded by the quiet garden, the monument creates a peaceful setting in which visitors can consider the remarkable life that began in this modest Tsuwano residence.
Next to the former residence is the Mori Ogai Memorial Museum, a museum dedicated specifically to the life and work of Mori Ogai. It was the world’s first museum specializing in Ogai and provides a broader understanding of his achievements as a writer, translator, scholar, and military physician.
The museum houses a wide range of materials, including original manuscripts, letters, personal belongings, photographs, and published works. Video exhibits also help visitors unfamiliar with Ogai learn about his life and achievements.
The displays trace his life chronologically, beginning with his childhood in Tsuwano and continuing through his studies in Tokyo, his years in Germany, his career as a military physician, and his development as a major literary figure.
Mori Ogai was not only a celebrated writer. He also had an important career as a military physician. After graduating from the medical school that later became part of the University of Tokyo, he studied in Germany and eventually rose to the position of Surgeon General of the Imperial Japanese Army.
He also contributed to the development of Japan’s medical and public health systems during a period when the country was undergoing rapid modernization.
The museum presents both sides of his career, allowing visitors to understand how medicine, military service, scholarship, translation, and literature were intertwined throughout his life.
From 1884, Ogai spent approximately four years studying in Germany. His experiences in Europe had a significant influence on his worldview and literary interests.
After returning to Japan, he published “The Dancing Girl (Maihime)”, one of the landmark works of modern Japanese literature. The story reflects the cultural encounters and personal experiences associated with his time in Germany.
The museum displays photographs and materials from his years abroad, providing visitors with a better understanding of how his encounter with European culture influenced his intellectual and literary development.
Views from the memorial museum include the Tsuwano River and the stone walls of the former Sanbommatsu Castle. These are landscapes that may have been familiar to Ogai during his childhood.
The quiet atmosphere of Tsuwano, surrounded by mountains and shaped by its historic castle-town streets, provides an important backdrop for understanding the environment in which Ogai’s character and intellectual interests developed.
Walking through the same town where he spent his early years can make his life and writings feel more immediate, particularly when combined with a visit to his former residence and the adjacent museum.
Mori Ogai’s Former Residence and the Mori Ogai Memorial Museum are fascinating destinations not only for readers of Japanese literature, but also for visitors interested in Japanese history, medicine, education, and the cultural transformation of the Meiji era.
The surrounding area contains many other historic attractions, including Nishi Amane’s Former Residence, Tsuwano Castle Ruins, and Tonomachi Street. Combining these sites makes it possible to explore Tsuwano as a living historical town while learning about the remarkable people who were raised here.
The former residence offers a rare opportunity to see the environment in which Mori Ogai’s life began. From the traditional rooms and medicine-preparation space to the garden and poetry monument, each element provides a small connection to the childhood of a man who would later become a major figure in modern Japanese culture.
For international visitors, the site also offers an accessible introduction to the rapid cultural changes Japan experienced from the late Edo period through the Meiji era. Ogai’s life crossed the worlds of traditional Japanese scholarship, Western medicine, military service, and modern literature.
From JR Tsuwano Station, take an Iwami Kotsu bus bound for Ogai Kyukyo / Tsuwano Onsen. The journey takes approximately 7 minutes. Get off at the Ogai Kyukyo-mae bus stop, followed by a walk of approximately 2 minutes.
It is also possible to reach the residence on foot while exploring Tsuwano’s historic castle-town streets. Walking through the traditional townscape before arriving at Ogai’s childhood home offers a particularly rewarding way to experience the connection between the writer and the place where his story began.