Ohana
Ohana is the former villa of the Tachibana family, the feudal lords of Yanagawa. Designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty, its garden and cultural properties are recognized for their historical and aesthetic value. Today, the estate serves as a hotel, restaurant, and museum, allowing visitors to experience its heritage.
Shoto Garden, the villa’s primary garden, can be admired from the rooms or by strolling along its paths. The landscape is distinguished by over 200 ancient pine trees. In winter, the pond attracts wild geese, adding to the seasonal beauty of the scene.
The Tachibana Family
In 1587, Muneshige Tachibana was appointed lord of Yanagawa Castle by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Originally a vassal of the Ōuchi family, Muneshige’s exceptional military prowess caught Hideyoshi’s attention, leading to his promotion to daimyō. More than just a skilled warrior, Muneshige proved to be a capable administrator, earning the deep trust and respect of the people he governed.
Following the Battle of Sekigahara, Muneshige, who had sided with the defeated Western Army, was stripped of his domain. Despite having the option to make a final stand at Yanagawa Castle, he chose to surrender it to avoid involving his people in a destructive conflict. It is said that when his subjects tearfully begged him to fight, he refused, stating, “I do not wish to involve you in battle,” before departing.
Though briefly imprisoned, Muneshige’s distinguished record and character were later recognized by the victorious Tokugawa shogunate, which uniquely reinstated him as the lord of Yanagawa. He remains the only daimyō expelled after Sekigahara to be restored to his original domain.
Generations later, the fifth lord, Sadayoshi, built a residence for his second wife and daughter in an area now known as Flower Field. The final feudal lord of Yanagawa eventually moved from the castle to this residence.
After the Meiji Restoration, the 14th family head renovated the estate into its current form. Following World War II, the 16th head and his wife preserved the family’s legacy by converting it into the hotel and restaurant known as Ohana—”The Flower House”—which endures today.