The Furo-an tea house was designed to resemble a boat floating in the sky, achieved by extending its floor over the cliff face.
The floor in the Furo-an is built using the 'gion-juro' technique to mimic the interior of a boat.
A ceiling in the main villa is made from a single sheet of Japanese cedar, a rarity for its size and lack of knots.
The garden uses the 'shakkei' technique, or borrowed scenery, integrating the distant mountains and river into the grounds.
The villa was constructed over a decade to ensure the precise selection and aging of specific building materials.
The moon-viewing window in the tea house is positioned so that the light reflects off the river surface before entering the room.
The site remains largely unchanged from its original design and layout since its completion in 1907.
The layout of the rooms is specifically designed to transition through seasons, maximizing natural cooling from the river in summer.
Garyu Sanso is a Meiji-period villa perched on a cliff overlooking the Hijikawa River in Ozu, Ehime. Built between 1897 and 1907 by merchant Torajiro Kawachi, the estate showcases master-level traditional Japanese carpentry and sukiya-zukuri architecture. The primary residence, Garyu-in, features ceilings and sliding doors decorated with elaborate craftsmanship using rare timber. The garden, designed as a stroll-style landscape, incorporates the Hijikawa River as a borrowed backdrop. The Furo-an tea house is cantilevered over the cliff edge, providing a unique vantage point high above the water. The site is noted for its intricate integration of indoor spaces with natural elements like moss, stone, and the river’s current. The construction utilizes 30 different types of wood, including cedar, cypress, and paulownia. It reflects the aesthetic of Wabi-sabi through its understated, natural materials.
From the riverbank path looking up at the Furo-an tea house to capture its cantilevered position.
Walk the perimeter of the cliff to fully appreciate the architectural overhang of the tea house.
Observe the small wooden details and carvings in the sliding door handles, which often depict seasonal plants or animals.
Visit the lower garden area to see how the river landscape changes the perspective of the structures above.
Do not attempt to walk on the grassy or moss-covered slopes of the garden, as these are fragile and restricted areas.
Remove shoes before entering the wooden structures; wear socks; do not touch the wood or paper screens.
