Former Marquis Maeda Residence, Komaba
Western residence 1929; Japanese residence 1930 · Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
History
The Komaba estate combined a Western residence completed in 1929 with a Japanese residence completed in 1930. Reception rooms occupied the Western house’s first floor, with family rooms above. It was a marquis’s private home, distinct from the imperial residences.
Maeda Toshinari — Marquis / 16th head of the Maeda family / residence commissioner
Visitor Information
Western residence: 09:00–16:00; closed Mondays and Tuesdays except public holidays, and 29 December–3 January. Free entry to designated rooms on floors 1 and 2; hired rooms may be unavailable. No advance reservations. Japanese-house arrangements are separate.
Official information checked on 9 October 2026; day-of-visit availability is not guaranteed.
Sources and Official Website
Annual Visitor Statistics
No verified annual attendance series has been entered. Missing data is not zero.
Interiors and collections
Two houses for the Maeda household
Marquis Maeda Toshinari, the sixteenth head of the Maeda family, completed the Western and Japanese houses in 1929–1930. A connecting corridor joined the buildings. Their contrasting forms provide a way to understand the household’s use of European and Japanese residential traditions.
Fireplaces, chandeliers and restored decoration
Meguro City’s historical account highlights fireplaces and chandeliers retaining the character of the original Western house. The municipal conservation-plan summary records interior restoration in 2018, including the upstairs study, adjoining room and bedroom, with work on wallpaper, carpets, curtains and lighting. The interiors should therefore be read as historic fabric with later conservation and restoration, rather than an entirely untouched ensemble.
Different visiting arrangements for each building
Official guidance lists free admission to both houses, but their closing days differ. The Western house normally closes on Mondays and Tuesdays, with holiday exceptions; the Japanese house normally closes on Monday, or the next day when Monday is a holiday. The Japanese house’s ground floor is publicly accessible. Check the separate official notices before travelling and follow the available route: access to the estate does not imply access to every floor or room.
Owner and patron: Maeda Toshinari
Official sources
- Meguro City: Maeda residence history and separate visiting arrangements
- Meguro City: conservation plan summary and 2018 restoration
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Western house visitor notices
Sources checked 10 October 2026.