Dazai Osamu Memorial Hall Shayokan (太宰治記念館 斜陽館)

Flow of the course

About this spot

A nationally designated Important Cultural Property mansion known as the birthplace of novelist Dazai Osamu. Built in 1907 by his father, Tsushima Gen'emon, a major landowner, this irimoya-style mansion makes lavish use of Aomori hiba cypress, with the main building containing 11 rooms on the first floor and 8 on the second, and a total property, including the storehouse, of an extraordinary scale of about 680 tsubo. Touring the first-floor counter, which doubled as a moneylending business office, and the beautifully Western-Japanese hybrid-styled Western room on the second floor lets you feel firsthand the environment that nurtured the world of works such as No Longer Human and Tsugaru. Cherished after the war as the inn Shayokan, it now operates as the Dazai Osamu Memorial Hall, displaying handwritten manuscripts and personal belongings. A central spot for sightseeing in Kanagi that impresses literature fans and architecture-loving grandparents alike.

Tips

About a 7-minute walk from Kanagi Station on the Tsugaru Railway. There's a combined admission ticket with the Tsugaru Shamisen Hall, so check at the reception desk if you plan to visit both. You need to take off your shoes to view the interior, so shoes that are easy to slip on and off come in handy. There are local restaurants scattered around the area, so it's smoother to have lunch before entering.

Best time to visit

About 1 hour 15 minutes. Entering right after lunch lets you take your time touring the interior while still leaving room in your afternoon schedule

Access & map

〒037-0202 青森県五所川原市金木町朝日山４１２−１