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| Family Home | Above: This was the family house in Kyoto. The address is Hamaguri Mon Mae / Karasuma Dori. It is located right across the street from the Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho). It faces the famous Hamaguri-Gamon (gate). This is where a memorable event in history happened in 1863. A one day battle between the Shogunate and Choshu took place in Kyoto that was short but very destructive, as the flames of war covered most of the city and lasted for three days. Bullet marks from the conflict remain on the gate to this day. Hamaguri means ‘clam’ which is ironic that the Hirase family lived across from it. It is so named because the gate was opened for the first time in 1788 long after being built in 1708, when a great fire broke out in Kyoto city. The last relative to live here was Michiko Hirase who was the wife of Keizo Hirase. After she past away the house was sold (late 1980s) and is now a type of hotel specializing in marriage. Below: Pictures of the back yard and the back side of the house. |
| From left to right; Fuyuko, Yoichiro with baby Keizo, Shintaro, Yasuko with Shizue, Aiko |
| From left to right; Shizue, Fuyoko / Fuyoko, Shizue, Aiko / Aiko |
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