The room with a round window in the former Asakura Residence was named the Round Window Room in its entirety

Round window of the Former Asakura House — The Round Window Room of the former Asakura Family Residence

Beyond the round paper screen window, there is a Japanese garden. Hearing the situation, many people in the Kanto region may think of the Meigetsuin temple in Kamakura, and people in the Kansai region may think of the Genkoan temple in Kyoto City.

Curiously enough, the round windows in both places are called "the windows of enlightenment". I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that Meigetsuin is a Rinzai Zen temple and Genkoan is a Soto Zen temple. Anyway, when I hear a name like "window of enlightenment," I feel as if it is inappropriate to gaze at it with my mouth wide open. It makes me feel as if I have to feel something noble and troublesome.

I was touring inside the former Asakura Residence in Daikanyama, Tokyo, which was built in 1919. The two-story, Japanese-style residence, built by a prominent man who had served as chairman of the Tokyo prefectural assembly and president of the Shibuya ward assembly, was spacious. As I wandered around, I came to a section with a round paper screen window in the dim light beyond. The window was slightly open, and I could catch a glimpse of the garden through the gap. Since this was not a Zen temple, the window did not have a trivial name. The name of the room was also without any hesitation, "The room with a round window".

Comment via

日本語