Seishido

Overview

Seishido is a historic building designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, built to commemorate the 70th birthday of Eiichi Shibusawa. Completed in 1916, it was initially located in Kiyowaen in Setagaya, Tokyo. Shibusawa, deeply impressed by the Confucian Analects' passage, "誠者天之道也、誠之者人之道也" (Makoto wa ten no michi nari, kore o makoto ni suru wa hito no michi nari) – meaning roughly 'Sincerity is the way of Heaven; to be sincere is the way of man' – adopted this phrase as the name for the building. The architectural style is a blend of Japanese and Western influences, a two-story wooden structure with a tiled roof. The interior features both traditional shoin-zukuri style rooms and Western-style rooms, preserving the atmosphere of the time. In 1999, it was relocated to Fukaya City, Shibusawa's hometown, for preservation and retains its original appearance. On May 30, 2003, it was designated a National Important Cultural Property. Seishido is a valuable building symbolizing Shibusawa's life and the modernization of Japan. It offers visitors a glimpse into the past while providing an opportunity to learn about Japanese history and culture. Combined with visits to the Shibusawa Eiichi Former Residence and the Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Museum, also located in Fukaya City, visitors gain a deeper understanding of Shibusawa's life.