Maeda House: A Piece of England in Tokyo

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The Maeda House, a historic brick mansion with an arched entrance and a tower, set in a lush, wooded landscape. — *The Maeda House*

I originally discovered the Maeda House on Google Maps in 2020 while looking for places to photograph in Meguro Ward. It was in Komaba Park and piqued my interest. Was it something like the beautiful Josiah Conder Kyu-Furukawa mansion? I’m glad I researched it because it became another architectural photography article.

Skip ticket lines: use an IC card to move between photo spots

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The rest of the day was spent researching its history on the internet. Google pictures of an English-looking mansion Tudor style soon popped up. The house intrigued me. Soon after, I photographed it with Fujifilm gear for a now defunct website of mine, Tokyo in Pics.com. For these photos, I revisited the mansion with my Canon camera gear.

Maeda House room featuring a large bay window with yellow curtains, patterned wallpaper, and a parquet floor.

History of the house

Toshinari Maeda, whose family was influential during Japan’s Edo period, built the house in 1929. He was a member of the aristocracy and a military man who had served in England. He was given the posthumous rank of general after he died in an air crash in 1943.

Soft light through a triple-arched window at Maeda House, featuring blue and yellow scalloped glass patterns.

The Tudor-style house was designed by Tsukamoto Yasushi. With its many rooms, even for staff, it must have been among the best in Tokyo when it was completed in 1929. Toshinari often entertained his colleagues so I imagine it was a hive of activity. While walking around the interior, you’ll notice some of the fittings were imported from England, which was common for the times.

Grand room in Maeda House with gold damask wallpaper, large rugs, and a piano seen through a doorway.

Inside the Maeda House

When I entered the grounds, I was slightly surprised. The amount of weeds in the forecourt and garden areas was overwhelming and long overdue for a mow. What would the interior be like?

Antique leather books held by dog-shaped bookends on a wooden desk in a dimly lit, classic study.

Luckily, there were no problems inside. As I wandered through the building, I couldn’t help but notice how everything hinted at luxury. The wood and iron work had the details and care that was common in that era. Handmade was everywhere. I can imagine workmen putting their heart and soul into this house. Black and white photos were on pieces of furniture showing the house in its heyday complete with occupants.

Historic bedroom at Maeda House with antique wooden beds, a large floral rug, and a well-lit dressing alcove. — *Toshinari’s bedroom*

The partially refurbished bedroom was my favorite. I loved its mahogany vanity in the window alcove, the one corner of this otherwise dark room which is bathed in natural light. I could imagine the lady of the house preparing herself there each morning or readying herself for a social event.

Maeda House sitting room with purple damask wallpaper, red floral furniture, and a dark wood coffered ceiling. — *Is your favorite color purple?*

The mansion’s second floor has some great areas. The living room is decorated with more chintz and velvet than I’ve seen anywhere else. If you love purple, you’ll be right at home. The study might be mini version of something out of Downton Abbey. A portrait of Toshinari’s second wife, Kikuo, hangs in the centre of the wall above a fireplace. She was painted like a member of the English upper-class, complete with fur stole and finger-waved hair; typical styles of the 1930s.

Stately study in the Maeda House with a marble fireplace, green velvet armchairs, and a large patterned rug. — *The portrait of Toshinari’s second wife, Kikuo hangs on the wall.*

If you had wanted to photograph Maeda house in its entirety, it would take several hours. I’ll visit it again to shoot the Japanese house next door and the garden in spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom. My only complaint is that some rooms are quite bare. A few were completely empty and one or two only had a couple of chairs.

Marble mantle with flowers and lit sconces against gold damask wallpaper in the Maeda House. — *One of the Maeda House’s many fireplaces*

The house even has a small museum with some items and documents from important events of the family’s life. While there are some English translations, they are sparse.

Photography tips

Take a wide angle if you want to capture the entirety of the rooms.
A short to medium zoom will help focus on the details.
Flashes and tripods aren’t allowed, so boost your ISO.
You’d think with the house being in the suburbs it would be relatively empty of visitors, but that’s not exactly true. Even on weekdays, other guests will be there.

Interior of Maeda House featuring parquet floors, patterned settees, large rugs, and dark wood trim.

Maeda house free tour

Yes, the main building has a tour. It takes about forty minutes. The guides speak only Japanese. I joined one to check the house out and learn something. The easy pace allowed that.

If you don’t want to join the tour, that’s okay. Walk around by yourself, like I did. That’s the better option if photography is your priority. Whatever you choose, take your shoes off at the entrance. The receptionist will give you a plastic bag to carry them.

Close-up of intricate scrolling relief carvings and berry motifs on a polished dark wood base. — *Fabulous woodwork is throughout the house.*

Skip ticket lines: use an IC card to move between photo spots

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Visitor information

Address: Komaba 4-3-55, Meguro City, Tokyo.
The building’s formal name is Former Marquis Maeda Western Style Mansion.
Train access: Komaba-Todaimae Station on the Keio-Inokashira line. It’s about a ten-minute walk to the house.
Entrance fees: None
Opening hours: Maeda House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with the last entry at 4 p.m.). It is closed December 29 to January 3. If a holiday falls on Monday, it will open but close the following day.
Take your shoes off at the entrance and place them in the bag provided.
For full information, consult the official Maeda House website.
Here is the house on Google Maps:

Is the Maeda House worth it?

If you like architectural photography or Japanese history, this building is excellent. Like Kyu-Furukawa and Kyu-Iwasaki Gardens, it gives great insight into the lifestyles of Tokyo’s rich and famous during the early twentieth century. And luckily, for photographers, it’s one of the places that doesn’t suffer from overtourism.