We take a look back at the history and transformation of Fugetsuro.
About
From the era of the Kouyamachi Daikan residence during the Keichō period — when the town was known for its dyer — to the establishment of the Shōhō Kaisho (Financial trading company) by Eiichi Shibusawa in 1869 (Meiji 2), and the former residence of Tokugawa Yoshinobu from 1869 to 1888 (Meiji 21), the site finally became Fugetsutei in 1891 (Meiji 24), which later evolved into today’s Fugetsuro.
Background
The Last Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu
In Meiji 2 (1869), following the restoration of imperial rule and the return of political power to the Emperor by the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa
Yoshinobu, the last Shogun of Japan, chose to settle in Shizuoka. There, he created the garden that remains today as the heart of Fugetsuro.
He spent the next 20 years in peaceful retirement, distancing himself entirely from political affairs. Immersed in his personal pursuits and surrounded by
nature, he was affectionately known as “Keiki-sama” by the local citizens, who held him in great respect.
Though the final days of the Tokugawa regime were clouded by uncertainty and speculation, Yoshinobu’s quiet retreat in Shizuoka paints a different picture
— one of a wise and forward-thinking leader who gracefully stepped aside, helping to usher Japan into its modern era.
Many stories of his life in Shizuoka — stories not found in history textbooks — still live on in the memories of this city and in the garden of Fugetsuro. ※Photo Credit:
徳川慶喜（衣冠） 茨城県立歴史館蔵
The Life of the Last Shogun in Shizuoka
Calm and Leisurely days
This picture is Tokugawa Yoshinobu who is wearing hunting clothes.
When he lived at Fugetsuro, he enjoyed his hobbies, especially hunting.
He followed some wild ducks at local Shizuoka's river or pond. Also he went to Mt.Amagi in Izu, even so far from Fugetsuro, to seek wild boar.
※Photo Credit:
徳川慶喜肖像 松戸市戸定歴史館蔵
Cultural side of his life
Tokugawa Yoshinobu was deeply engaged in cultural pursuits such as oil painting and photography. Under the guidance of Takayoshi Tokuda—his photography instructor at the time—he carefully considered composition before taking each photograph. Through these images, we can catch a glimpse of Shizuoka as seen through Yoshinobu’s own eyes.
※Photo Credit: 安倍川鉄橋上リ列車進行中之図
徳川慶喜撮影 茨城県立歴史館蔵
The Passage of Time at Fugetsuro
Tokugawa Yoshinobu’s Residence in the Early Meiji Era
※Photo Credit: 古写真 紺屋町邸徳田孝吉撮影 茨城県立歴史館蔵
From the Meiji to the Taisho period
From the early to the late Showa period
The Garden and Architecture
The Garden and Architectural Legacy
Master Garden Designer Ogawa Jihei
It is said that Tokugawa Yoshinobu invited Ogawa Jihei — one of Japan’s most renowned garden designers to create the garden of his residence.
During Yoshinobu’s time, the grounds of what is now Fugetsuro were nearly double their current size of approximately 7,300 square meters, spanning over about 15,000 square meters.
More than half of the estate was dedicated to the garden, which featured both a large and a small pond.
Ogawa Jihei laid the foundation for the present-day chisen-kaiyushiki (pond-centered stroll garden) style that defines the Fugetsuro garden today. ※Photo Credit:古写真 紺屋町邸 徳田孝吉撮影 茨城県立歴史館蔵
Master Architect Yoshida Isoya
Isoya Yoshida, a renowned architect and leading figure in modern Sukiya-style architecture, was also involved in the design of Fugetsuro during the Showa period.
Yoshida contributed to the site on two occasions, designing structures that embodied his refined sense of spatial harmony and traditional aesthetics.
Unfortunately, both buildings were lost to history ̶ one consumed by the Great Shizuoka Fire, and the other destroyed during wartime air raids.
The current Meikikan (Fugetsuro’s main exclusive restaurant building) was reconstructed in homage to his original vision, preserving the essence of his architectural spirit. ※Photo Credit: 吉田五十八 肖像 東京芸術大学美術館蔵
