As the main exhibition room, Meiji Restoration related materials of
Ryoma Sakamoto, Shintaro Nakaoka, and Hanpeita Takechi are on display.
Historical materials are kept, centered on the collection of patriots'
posthumous writing gathered by Mitsuaki Tanaka.
While changing the exhibition four times a year,
small exhibitions, projects and special exhibitions are held in this order.
The botanist from Sakawa town, Tomitaro Makino is introduced,
along with articles left behind by him.
In 2012, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth,
this was moved here from the Sakawa Town Cultural Center.
These were the gardens of the Hijikata Household, who were the vassals for the Fukao Household, the feudal lords of Sakawa during the Edo era (1603-1868). This garden was designed during the middle of the Edo era, and gives the feeling of a warrior residence at that time.
The Hijikata Household were moved to Tokyo at the start of the Meiji era (1868-1912) and their residence was handed over to the Takemura Household, a wealthy merchant family in Sakawa. It's said that on his return to his hometown after completing his law studies, Yasushi Hijikata, who was born and raised in this residence, named the garden "Kunyoen" after the head of the Takemura household, whose pseudonym was "Kunyo" and who was the owner of the garden at that time.
