「渡辺 蒿蔵 旧宅」 山口県 / “Watanabe Kozo Former House" Yamaguchi Pref

「渡辺 蒿蔵 旧宅」 山口県萩市

萩藩士・渡辺 蒿蔵（わたなべ こうぞう（1843年 - 1939年）の旧宅。

渡辺蒿蔵は、15歳の安政4年（1857）松下村塾に入り、吉田松陰に学んだ後、久坂玄瑞らの尊攘運動に加わり、奇兵隊に参加、禁門の変で長州藩の敗退後、西洋兵学の修得に励んだ。1867年、長崎に派遣され、まもなく藩命により米英に留学し造船技術を修得。帰国後は、工部省に入り、官営長崎造船局（現三菱重工長崎造船所）の初代局長に就任。日本の造船事業の近代化に貢献。

49歳で逓信省を退職し帰郷した後は、松下村塾の保存事業に地元代表として尽くす。渡辺 蒿蔵は吉田松陰から直接教わった松下村塾塾生としては最後の生き残りであり、また、吉田松陰から直接教わった松下村塾塾生としても、唯一昭和時代まで生きた人物でもあった。

建物は、明治中期に建てられたもの。江戸期の建築とされる長屋門、明治中期に建築された主屋と土蔵、露地風の日本庭園などがある。渡辺 蒿蔵本人も茶を嗜んだが夫人が裏千家の教授として指導にあたっていたため後で茶室が増築された。

◼︎名称：「渡辺 蒿蔵 旧宅」

◼︎住所：山口県萩市江向５番地

◼︎TEL: 0838-22-1055

◼︎営業時間：AM 9:00~PM 5:00

◼︎休園日：毎週水曜日

◼︎駐車場：有り

◼︎アクセス：JR萩駅より車で５分

　　　　　　JR萩駅より路線バス（循環バス）「福祉作業所つばき園前」下車 徒歩1分

"Watanabe Kozo Former House" Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture

The former house of Watanabe Kozo (1843-1939), a samurai of the Hagi Domain.

Watanabe Kozo entered the Shoka Sonjuku School at the age of 15 in 1857, and studied under Yoshida Shoin. After that, he joined the Sonno Joi Movement led by Kusaka Genzui and others, and joined the Kiheitai. After the defeat of the Choshu Domain in the Kinmon Incident, he devoted himself to learning Western military science. In 1867, he was dispatched to Nagasaki, and soon afterwards he was ordered by the domain to study in the United States and Britain, where he learned shipbuilding techniques. After returning to Japan, he joined the Ministry of Public Works and became the first director of the Government Nagasaki Shipyard (now Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki Shipyard). He contributed to the modernization of Japan's shipbuilding industry.

After retiring from the Ministry of Communications at the age of 49 and returning home, he worked as a local representative in the preservation project of the Shoka Sonjuku School. Watanabe Kozo was the last surviving student of the Shoka Sonjuku school who was taught directly by Yoshida Shoin, and was also the only student of the Shoka Sonjuku school who lived until the Showa era.

The building was built in the mid-Meiji period. It has a Nagayamon gate believed to be built in the Edo period, a main house and storehouse built in the mid-Meiji period, and a Japanese garden with a roji style. Watanabe Kozo himself enjoyed tea, but his wife was a professor of the Urasenke school, so a tea room was added later.

◼︎Name: "Watanabe Kozo Former Residence"

◼︎Address: 5 Emukai, Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture

◼︎TEL: 0838-22-1055

◼︎Business hours: AM 9:00~PM 5:00

◼︎Closed: Every Wednesday

◼︎Parking: Available

◼︎Access: 5 minutes by car from JR Hagi Station

Take the local bus (circulating bus) from JR Hagi Station and get off at "Welfare Workshop Tsubakien-mae" and walk for 1 minute