Edo Traditions Expanded through Modern Development
Koreyoshi Takatori was born into a samurai family. After studying modern mining technology, he established himself as the “King of Coal Mining” by developing the Kishima mine into the source of a quarter of Kyushu’s total coal yield. Takatori’s private residence, built at the end of the 19th century and greatly expanded at the beginning of the 20th century, is essentially an extension of Edo Period shoin-zukuri architecture, with numerous tatami-floored rooms surrounding a pond in the inner courtyard. Equipped with a special stage to perform Noh theatre, a necessary skill for Edo Period samurai, the residence also contains some of the highest quality traditional fusuma and panel paintings in the country.
