Japan In Focus

Numazu Imperial Villa in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture Reflects Life of Emperor Showa

The Yomiuri Shimbun
The West Annex shows how emperors and the Imperial family lived in the past.

By Mina Endo / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

17:42 JST, March 16, 2026

The Yomiuri Shimbun
The Imperial audience room

NUMAZU, Shizuoka — Sunlight and the sea breeze enhance the atmosphere of a pine grove surrounding a beautiful garden and elegantly constructed buildings including a tea ceremony house. Between the trees, magnificent views of Suruga Bay and Mt. Fuji can be seen.

The Numazu Imperial Villa, where successive emperors and many members of the Imperial family spent time during the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras, which collectively spanned the years 1868 to 1989, is now a memorial park that offers tourists and local residents a place to relax.

The main residence was built in 1893 as a retreat for Emperor Taisho, who was then the crown prince. The location was chosen because of its relative proximity to Tokyo, mild climate and scenic beauty. Later, a Western-style building was added, the first of its kind at an Imperial villa. The villa was used for a long time as a resort for the Imperial family.

The West Annex was built in 1905 as an Imperial villa for Emperor Showa, who was then a young child. While the main residence was destroyed by fire in air raids on Numazu in 1945, the West Annex survived and served as the main residence after the war. In 1969, the Numazu Imperial Villa was shut down due to the aging of the facilities and was turned into a park in 1970.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
The billiard parlor where emperors and Imperial family members enjoyed the game

The West Annex, where Emperor Showa, his brother Prince Chichibu and other Imperial family members spent time resting, is now open to the public. Along with the building itself, its furniture, household objects and architectural techniques tell its valuable history. In the annex, there are facilities such as residential quarters for the Imperial family, an audience room used to receive official visitors, and a parlor for enjoying billiards, a popular game at the time.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
A replica of an adult tricycle ridden by Emperor Showa

Inside the annex, chairs and dining tables used in those days, pictures drawn by Emperor Showa and a chanchanko jacket he wore are on display, as well as an eye-catching replica of his adult tricycle.

If you look closely at the inside of the building, you will find many details showing respect for the Imperial family. For example, lights were not installed above the heads of the Imperial family, but in places where their attendants walked. The floors of the living room and bedrooms are slightly higher than the corridors. Nayura Ozawa, a public relations official for the park, said: “The Numazu Imperial Villa still has a high historical and cultural value. We hope visitors can feel the lifestyle of the Imperial family at that time.”