Kobe Kitano Ijinkan “Moegi no Ie” (House of Moegi)

June 23, 2024 178 Views

The first place I visited in Kobe’s Kitano Ijinkan was the “Moegi no Ie” or the “House of Moegi,” written as “Moegi no Yakata” in Japanese. As it was located near the Kitano Ijinkan Square, I decided to visit the two houses in close proximity in sequential order.

“Kitano Ijinkan, Moegi no Ie (House of Moegi)”

The House of Moegi is also known as the Green House because of its green-colored exterior. It is a two-story wooden building made with added wooden panels. Built in 1903, it was once the residence of Hunter Sharp, the U.S. Consul General. The first floor features a library, a reception room, and a children’s room. From the second-floor veranda with creaky wooden floors, you can enjoy the view of the Kitano Ijinkan district. Designated as a nationally important cultural property, it served as the backdrop for the film “Boy H.”

“Admission Fee Required”

To visit the House of Moegi, an admission fee is required, which can be purchased using the vending machine located in front of the house. The admission fee for the House of Moegi alone is 400 yen, but if you plan to visit both the House of Moegi and the House of Pegasus (Fukutoshin’s House), you can pay a combined fee of 650 yen. If you visit them separately, it would cost 900 yen (500 yen for the House of Pegasus), making it more economical to purchase a dual ticket and explore both places.

In my case, since I had come this far, I thought it would be a good idea to visit at least the two nearby houses, so I opted for the dual ticket.

“Not as Impressive as Expected – House of Moegi”

The House of Moegi, unfortunately, had fewer noteworthy attractions than I had anticipated, leaving me somewhat disappointed. The size was not particularly large, and the exterior of the building looked more impressive from the outside. While it was said that you could overlook the Kitano Ijinkan district from the second-floor terrace, the view was somewhat limited, and it didn’t provide a significant impact.

“Kobe Kitano Ijinkan, House of Moegi”