Government seeking to acquire and preserve historic villas in Oiso
The Japanese government is considering converting several privately owned historic villas in the coastal town of Oiso into a public park. The project may include acquiring the properties and restoring them so that they can be opened to the public.
The proposal covers a 6 hectare site including the Sorokaku Villa, former Ikeda Shigeaki Residence, former Okuma Shigenobu Residence, and former Mutsu Minemitsu Residence.
The properties are owned by private companies and not currently open to the public. Some of the homes, which are unused, have fallen into various states of disrepair over the years. The government may consider purchasing the buildings and land from their owners and has set aside 27.3 billion Yen (approx. 240 million USD) in the national park’s budget for the project.
First historical listing for Oiso Town
The former Kinoshita Villa alongside Sagami Bay has been registered as a tangible cultural property. The house has been recognized for its contribution to the historical scenery of the area. This is the first listing for Oiso, and the 157th listing for Kanagawa Prefecture. Read more