Former Shirasu Residence Buaiso

In short

The Former Shirasu Residence Buaiso is a thatched-roof house that Shirasu Jiro, who engaged in negotiations with GHQ (General Headquarters) after World War II, and his wife Shirasu Masako, an essayist, moved into and cherished throughout their lives. Located on the border between Musashi and Sagami provinces, it was named as a pun on the Japanese word buaisō, which means unsociable. It has been open to the public since 2001.

• ​Thatched Main House​​: It is said that when talk arose of replacing the thatch with roof tiles, Masako firmly stated, "Keep it thatched as long as I live."
• ​Masako's Study​​: A small north-facing room that was originally a retirement room for the previous elderly residents; an immense number of books remains intact.
• ​Satoyama Nature​​: The residence is surrounded by the nature of satoyama (traditional rural landscape), filled constantly with greenery and blossoms.

History and Highlights

​Buaiso​ is the home where Shirasu Jiro and his wife Shirasu Masako lived. Jiro was born in Hyogo Prefecture, traveled to Britain at a young age, and studied at Cambridge. Masako was an essayist born into the Count Kabayama family; she was familiar with Noh theater from an early age and became the first woman to perform on a Noh stage at the age of 14.

In October 1942, anticipating Japan's defeat in the war and subsequent food shortages, the couple purchased a thatched-roof farmhouse that came with farmland in what was then Tsurukawa Village. Because it was located on the provincial boundary between Musashi and Sagami, they named it "Buaiso" as a pun on the word buaisō (unsociable). The house was in poor repair, and the roof leaked. Even so, Masako wrote that the main pillar and beams were magnificent. They moved in the following May, and Jiro devoted himself primarily to farming until the end of the war. In October of the year they relocated, they took into safekeeping ancestral Noh masks and costumes from the Umewaka family to protect them from the devastation of war.

After the war, at the request of Yoshida Shigeru, Jiro engaged in negotiations with GHQ (General Headquarters of the Allied Powers). For his straightforward assertion of what needed to be said, GHQ reported to their home government that Jiro was "the only Japanese who is not docile." After the war, Masako became close with Kobayashi Hideo and Aoyama Jiro, delving deeply into the worlds of literature and antiques. Until her final years, she continued to write essays about Japanese culture. The living room of the main house still preserves furnishings that offer a glimpse into Masako's daily life. Buaiso has been open to the public since 2001.

Points of Interest & Experience

• ​Thatched Main House​​: It is said that when their children talked about giving up on the thatched roof and replacing it with roof tiles, Masako stated firmly, "Keep it thatched as long as I live." During the re-thatching that began in December 2006, the Chinese character for "longevity" (kotobuki) was placed on the front side of the ridge, and the character for "water" (mizu) on the opposite side.
• ​Masako's Study​​: The small north-facing room in the main house was originally a retirement room where an elderly couple who handed over the house once lived. Masako made this her study, writing that every time she entered, she felt her mind tighten with focus. An immense number of books remains preserved here just as they were.
• ​Satoyama Nature​​: Buaiso is surrounded by the natural environment of satoyama, where greenery and flowers never cease. Masako left written records noting that flowering trees and wildflowers bloomed in the garden across the four seasons, and that she became absorbed in farm work.

Tips for Visitors

It is about a 15-minute walk from the North Exit of Tsurukawa Station on the Odakyu Odawara Line. If taking a bus from Tsurukawa Station, get off at "Heiwadai-iriguchi (Former Shirasu Residence Buaiso)" and walk for about 5 minutes. Within the grounds, there is also the Restaurant & Cafe Buaiso. After touring the main house, be sure to take a stroll through the garden as well.