26. Inside the "Gekka-den

The Gekka-den

The Gekka-den, so named by Tomitaro Hara, was a guest house in the Fushimi Castle, where feudal lords stayed when they came to pay their respects to the Shogun. It was built in the 9th year of Keicho (1604) when the old, partly destroyed Rushimi Castle of which it became a part, was rebuilt. Later the Shogun Hidetada gave some of the new buildings, including the Gekka-den, to Sannyu Kambayashi, a votary of the tea cult of Uji.  Subsequently the Kambayashi family presented it to the Konzo-in Temple of the Kobaku sect, where it was also used as a guest house.  Mr Hara acquired it in the 7th year of Taisho (1918) and brought it to Shankei-en.

Standing on a height at the end of a stone stairway, it is a good example of the architecture of the Momoyama period.  It consists of two rooms,  the Hiogi (leopard flower) and Take (Bamboo),  the themes of the decorations on the screens, doors and transoms.

27. Inside the Gekka-den

28. Inside the Gekka-den