SPOT 03
Where Lord Mouri secretly plotted to overthrow the shogunate while enjoying tea ceremonies. Now preserved as a monument to that crucial moment.
字幕 / Transcript
The fate of late-Edo Japan was secretly woven within this small tea house.
In 1863, Takachika Mouri, lord of the Choshu domain, relocated his administration from Hagi to Yamaguchi. Near the administrative center, he constructed a tea house—Rozando. Here, under the guise of enjoying the tea ceremony, Mouri gathered his retainers regardless of rank. Behind closed doors, they plotted the overthrow of the shogunate. The resolve to topple the Edo government took shape, whispered conference by whispered conference, in this quiet room.
After the abolition of the clan system, the building changed hands repeatedly, falling into ruin. Moved by its significance, Yajiro Shinagawa, a close aide to Mouri, joined others in raising funds for its preservation. In 1891 they relocated it to this site, breathing new life into a monument to history.
One man of conviction rescued a crumbling testament to history's turning point. Through his dedication, we stand here today, able to witness it. We invite you to contemplate this humble room and the dreams that were nurtured within these walls.