National Historic Landmark Shunyoso

A space where yin and yang feel in harmony.

Shunyo-so also hosts wedding ceremonies. I came this time for a pre-wedding photo shoot, and Mr. Takayama, the caretaker, showed us around. His explanations were fascinating and gave me a strong sense of the passage of time. He clearly puts a lot of care into maintaining the mansion. Thank you for that, and for kindly letting me take so many photos in such a precious place. History lovers will adore the family crests, tortoise-shell patterns, roof tiles, lighting, transoms, and sliding doors. Every room has different lighting, and the patterns on the doors and transoms are incredibly cute. Everything at the entrance is carefully crafted and well maintained. The Western-style building has its own historic feel, and the stained glass made by Mr. Takayama's father fits it perfectly. Its exterior walls are made from ceramics fired by hand, one by one, with patterns that can't be reproduced today. Breathtaking and beautiful. I love gardens and dry landscape gardens, so the ground patterns in the courtyard moved me deeply. You can see the garden's trees and flowers in every season, and it has a different face each time of year. Since the mansion was built according to feng shui principles, you can feel a great sense of power there. I was deeply moved by the place and its history. PS. This is a hidden power spot on Awaji Island! Even my friends from Awaji Island didn't know it existed. Please keep revitalizing and caring for Shunyo-so. Next time I'd like to stay overnight. From the reviews, there still seem to be lots of appealing things to try, like having a drink in the storehouse!? or ordering Shokado bento boxes!? Thanks again for your hospitality.

We rented the entire detached building, even though most of the photos show the main house. The owner was very kind and taught us a lot. The care and delicacy of Japanese culture are amazing. We could even enjoy a quiet drink in the storehouse, which has a refrigerator, unlike the detached building. In the morning we were also taken around the village, and the history of Awaji Island was fascinating. On the way, we stopped at a shirasu shop, sampled some, and bought some too. It was delicious!

We spent four nights and five days here. Since it's a tangible cultural heritage site, I expected the inside to be pretty worn, but it was clean, spacious, and luxurious. I slept soundly. There was a backyard where I spotted rhinoceros beetles, which I'm sure kids would be excited about. The place had full air conditioning and free Wi-Fi, though the connection was slow.