The name of the house was "Okuya", having an ancestor Rokuro-Zaemon Hayashi, a daikan (a local governor) of Yufune-sawa village, and the defending commander of Maruyama Castle at Kiso-yufunesawa-mura, who was a vassal of Yoshimasa Kiso and performed distinguished services in holding the Tsumago Castle in 12th year of Tensho (1584). Each generation took the office of Waki-honjin combined with that of Tonya. The building was grandiosity built with full hinoki cypress, two-storied, and in the fashion of protruded beams. Emperor Meiji had a short rest in this house when he made a tour of the village in the 13th year of Meiji period (1880). Also, "Toku-emonOogiya" appearing in the novel "Yoake-mae" (Before the Dawn) by Toson Shimazaki (1872-1943), a well known Japanese poet and novelist, was modeled after the head of the family of four generations ago. The mother of Rokuro, who was the head of the family of one generation ago was called "Oyu-sama", and she has been said to be a playmate of Toson Shimazaki during his childhood and the heroine of "FirstLove", Wakanashu (1897, Collection of Yong Herbs).
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