The former Shimazu family residence’s main building, located in the capital’s Shinagawa Ward, was designed by British architect Josiah Conder, who is also known for such landmarks as the Rokumeikan in Tokyo. Built of brick and with a building area of approximately 925 square meters, the house was completed and officially opened in 1917. The building has two above-ground floors and one basement level. Today, it serves as the main building of Seisen University, where it is actively used for classes and other university activities while being carefully preserved.
A spacious lawn extends across the south side of the mansion. The open veranda, which projects outward in a semicircular form, features a stone colonnade. Different designs are used for the balustrades and column capitals on the first and second floors, adding variety to the building’s architectural elegance. In the central hall on the first floor is a grand staircase with a symmetrical switchback design, divided into two sections. Intricate carvings adorn the newel posts and balusters.
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