Okubo Toshimichi's Hidden Tea Room: The Historical Significance of Aritai-an

A historical research work on Aritai-an, a hidden tea room used by Okubo Toshimichi during the late Edo and early Meiji periods. This newly published Kindle book explores the political significance and architectural details of this tea room, rediscovered in 2019.

# Okubo Toshimichi's Hidden Tea Room: The Historical Significance of Aritai-an

Okubo Toshimichi, a major political figure during the late Edo and early Meiji periods, had a secret tea room called "Aritai-an." This Kindle book offers a research study on this historically significant tea room and its architectural features.

【Aritai-an and Okubo Toshimichi】

"Aritai-an was a tea room in the back garden of a townhouse located near the Ishiyakushi Gate east of the Imperial Palace, serving as Okubo Toshimichi's base of operations from the late years of the Edo period through the early Meiji era." According to the author, this tea room functioned as a place for secret political discussions that could not be conducted in public. It is notably known as the location where "secret consultations regarding the creation of the Nishiki no Mihata (imperial flag)" took place.

【From Disappearance to Rediscovery】

After the capital moved to Tokyo, Aritai-an left the Okubo family's hands but was later repurchased by Okubo's third son, Toshitake. After its restoration to its original state, it became "an important Meiji Restoration historical site visited by numerous politicians, military officials, cultural figures, and even foreign dignitaries."

Though much of the estate was rebuilt after World War II, the existence of the tea room remained uncertain. "In May 2019, the author was present on the first day of the complete rebuilding of the former Okubo residence and confirmed the presence of Aritai-an in the back garden," the author recounts.

【About This Book】

・Author: Harada Ryōko ・Format: Kindle Edition (eBook) ・Pages: 81 pages ・Release Date: February 6, 2025 ・Price: ¥500 ・Language: Japanese ・ASIN: B0DWD72TBK

This work compiles the author's investigation into the discovery of Aritai-an and previous scholarly research findings. It includes academic analysis of the tea room's historical significance and architectural features.

【From CHASHITSU TOKYO】

That a politically powerful figure like Okubo Toshimichi used a tea room as a base for political activities demonstrates that a tea room functions as something more than simply "a place to prepare tea." When designing a tea room for your own home, learning from such historical examples about "what the tea room will be used for" becomes an important design consideration.

Source: Amazon.co.jp Kindle Store, "Okubo Toshimichi no Chashitsu 'Aritai-an' no Kenkyū" (Research on Okubo Toshimichi's Tea Room 'Aritai-an') by Harada Ryōko, Published February 6, 2025. https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0DWD72TBK