The Reconstructed Family Home Along the Hirose River
Hagiwara Sakutaro’s family home originally stood at 69 Kitakuruwamachi, now part of Chiyoda 2-chome in Maebashi. His father, Hagiwara Mitsuzo, was a highly respected physician in the local community. His medical practice was so popular that patients reportedly sometimes received numbered tickets while waiting to see him.
Over the years, efforts were made to preserve buildings associated with the Hagiwara family. In 1974, the family’s storehouse was relocated to Shikishima Park Rose Garden and opened to the public as an exhibition facility.
The study and detached reception room were subsequently relocated as well, and in 1980 these buildings were brought together as a memorial museum.
In April 2017, the buildings were once again relocated and reconstructed in the riverside green space across the Hirose River from the Maebashi Museum of Literature. This created the present Hagiwara Sakutaro Memorial Museum, bringing the atmosphere of Sakutaro’s former neighborhood back to the center of Maebashi.
The Storehouse That Protected the Hagiwara Family
A Historic Building That Helped Preserve Literary Materials
One of the most important structures at the museum is the storehouse. Built around 1901, this traditional earthen-walled building was an important part of the Hagiwara family home.
With its thick earthen walls, the storehouse was designed to protect valuables and important possessions. It was regarded as a particularly secure building within the family property.
On August 5, 1945, much of central Maebashi was destroyed by an air raid during World War II. Approximately 80 percent of the city’s urban area is said to have been burned. The Hagiwara family’s buildings, however, reportedly survived the fire because the storehouse helped protect them from the flames.
The storehouse contained many important materials belonging to Sakutaro, including notebooks, manuscripts, and correspondence. The survival of these materials has contributed greatly to the preservation of his literary legacy.
The storehouse was also used by Sakutaro as a place to develop photographs. This reflects his wide range of interests beyond poetry, including photography, music, and other forms of artistic expression.
Sakutaro’s Study – A Space for Literary Creation
An Innovative Western-Inspired Interior
The study reconstructed at the museum originally stood in the backyard of the family home. The building had once been used as a miso storage room before being remodeled as a personal creative space for Sakutaro.
Sakutaro himself was involved in planning the renovation, and the interior incorporated a remarkably modern design for its time. The room features elements of the Vienna Secession style, a European artistic and architectural movement that emphasized innovative design and decorative forms.
Such a Western-inspired interior was unusual in a provincial Japanese city at the time. The room reflects Sakutaro’s sophisticated artistic sensibilities and his interest not only in literature but also in music and the visual arts.
The study was also an important place of literary creation. Sakutaro’s landmark poetry collection Howling at the Moon (Tsuki ni Hoeru), published in 1917, as well as works such as Blue Cat (Aoneko), are associated with this creative environment.
The room also served as a music room. Sakutaro was fond of instruments such as the mandolin and guitar and is said to have invited friends and fellow artists to musical gatherings and literary discussions.
In this sense, the study functioned almost like a small cultural salon where poetry, music, and intellectual exchange came together, contributing to Maebashi’s vibrant literary culture.
The Detached Reception Room and Literary Guests
A Gathering Place for Writers and Poets
The detached reception room was built around 1892 by Sakutaro’s father, Mitsuzo. It was primarily used to welcome guests and was designed in a traditional Japanese style.
During Sakutaro’s years at the family home, the room became a gathering place for writers and poets. Among the well-known literary figures associated with the Hagiwara household were Hakushu Kitahara, Bokusui Wakayama, and Saisei Muroo.
They are remembered as having gathered in the reception room to discuss poetry and literature. Such encounters illustrate the important role that Maebashi played in the development of modern Japanese literary culture, despite being outside the major literary centers of Tokyo and Kyoto.
The room was therefore more than simply a guest room. It represents an important setting for the exchange of ideas that helped shape modern Japanese poetry.
Hagiwara Sakutaro – A Pioneer of Modern Japanese Poetry
A Poet Who Transformed Japanese Poetry
Hagiwara Sakutaro was born on November 1, 1886, in Maebashi into a family of physicians. He was the eldest son, and the name “Sakutaro” was chosen partly because he was born on the first day of the month.
From an early age, Sakutaro was known for his sensitive personality and developed a strong interest in music. He enjoyed playing instruments such as the harmonica and accordion and tended to prefer solitude.
As a young man, he became interested in tanka poetry and eventually had his poems published in Myōjō, a literary magazine associated with the poet Tekkan Yosano. He later studied under the renowned poet Hakushu Kitahara and began pursuing poetry more seriously.
In 1913, Sakutaro published poetry in the literary magazine Shiran, marking an important step in his career as a poet.
His 1917 collection Howling at the Moon (Tsuki ni Hoeru) became a landmark in the history of Japanese poetry. Moving away from the traditional literary language of earlier poetry, Sakutaro employed more conversational language and highly symbolic, free-flowing expressions.
The collection had a major impact on Japanese literary circles and helped open new possibilities for modern poetry. He went on to publish other important works, including Blue Cat (Aoneko), Pure-Hearted Little Songs (Junjō Shōkyokushū), and Ice Island (Hishima).
Because of his contribution to the development of modern Japanese poetry, Sakutaro is often referred to as the “Father of Modern Japanese Poetry.”
A Fascinating Stop for a Literary Walking Tour
The Hagiwara Sakutaro Memorial Museum is an important destination for anyone interested in Japanese literature, while also offering a glimpse into the cultural history of Maebashi.
The preserved buildings and literary materials allow visitors to imagine Sakutaro’s daily life and creative environment. Walking along the Hirose River also provides an opportunity to experience the peaceful scenery associated with the city where the poet spent much of his early life.
The nearby Maebashi Museum of Literature can be visited together with the memorial museum, creating a rewarding literary walking route through central Maebashi.
Access and Visitor Information
An Accessible Literary Attraction in Central Maebashi
The Hagiwara Sakutaro Memorial Museum is free to enter, making it an easy cultural stop for visitors exploring Maebashi.
By car: Approximately 15 minutes from the Maebashi Interchange on the Kan-Etsu Expressway.
By train: Approximately a 20-minute walk from JR Maebashi Station.
By train: Approximately a 5-minute walk from Chuo-Maebashi Station on the Jōmō Electric Railway.
Discover the World of Hagiwara Sakutaro
The Hagiwara Sakutaro Memorial Museum offers a rare opportunity to experience the life and creative world of one of Japan’s most important modern poets in the setting of his hometown.
From the historic storehouse that helped preserve his literary materials to his Western-inspired study and the traditional reception room where literary figures gathered, each building tells a different story about Sakutaro and the cultural life of early modern Maebashi.
For travelers interested in Japanese poetry, history, architecture, or local culture, a visit here provides a quiet and meaningful way to discover the literary heritage of Maebashi along the peaceful Hirose River.