Buaiso 旧白洲邸 武相荘

A traditional farmhouse from the prewar era

This traditional farmhouse is the former residence of the late industrialist Jiro Shirasu, who served in Japan's first democratically-elected government after World War II. Most Japanese know him as the government official who was tasked with presenting a Christmas gift from the Emperor Hirohito to General MacArthur; Shirasu objected to MacArthur's suggestion to leave it on the floor, and this incident was immortalized by its reenactment in a popular TV drama. Shirasu lived here with his wife Masako, an essayist, until his death. The wooden house offers insights into the typical way of life on the outskirts of the big city, and you can stroll around its pleasant gardens.