Inside Komaba Park, near Shibuya, is the Mansion of Earl Maeda. Toshinari Maeda (1885-1942) was the son of a feudal lord who went on to become a high-ranking Japanese commander, fighting for Japan across the world. His former residence was completed in 1927, around the same time he was appointed ambassador to the U.K. The residence is notable for being a replica of an English stately home, built in the middle of a park in Tokyo. The adjoining building is Maeda’s Japanese teahouse, a stark contrast to the stately home next door.
Entrance is free. Visitors are given bags at the door to carry their shoes, then they can do as they please. Walk around the stately mansion before moving to the teahouse to get a feel for the contrasting lives on display.