Chikugoya Chubei established this prostitute house in Maruyama as a party space. It was called 'Chiyo-no Yado' hotel of Chiyo. In one corner of the garden stand a small inari fox shrine and the torii gate of Ukemochi Shrine.
This garden has characteristics of gardens in the mid Edo Period, in which pines are planted beside stone lanterns. The pathway leading to the Netherlanders' settlement in Dejima Island, to which only the prostitutes of Maruyama were allowed to enter. I wonder if this is the original Dutch Slope Oranda-zaka in Maruyama? I said good bye to the Japanese painting-like garden and exited the gate of Nakano-chaya Teahouse. On 22nd of February , after visiting the Scapegoat Tenjin Shrine I hiked up the slope and headed for the next destination, Nakano-chaya Teahouse!
It took me only a minute to reach the teahouse from Tenjin Shrine. When I passed through the gate, there were winding stone steps and a tall old pine tree looking down upon me. Next to the pine tree a dignified stone lantern stood. Nakano-chaya Teahouse was so famous there was even a folk song that said 'if you ever want to have fun, go to Kagetsu or Nakano-chaya. Knock on the back gate of Umezono plum grove I could imagine how gorgeous and elegant it used to be when I saw the neat garden and buildings here.
One regret was I couldn't explore enough where prostitutes strolled along the original Dutch Slope in Maruyama. Exploring the Vicinity of Maruyama in Nagasaki 1. Scapegoat Tenjin Shrine in Nagasaki 2. Nakano-chaya Teahouse in Nagasaki. Suggest an edit.
I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. I'd like to retrace the footsteps of the people who lived in Japan a long long time ago, and introduce to you what they left behind on this soil.
