Exhibitions Now On
Historic Building Hsiao-yao Yuan (逍遙園) Permanent Exhibition
Hsiao-yao Yuan was built in 1939 (Showa 14) as the villa in Taiwan of Otani Kozui (大谷光瑞), the 22nd head of the Japanese Shin Buddhism Nishi Honganji sect. Hsiao-yao Yuan features the architectural aesthetics of the Japanese colonial period, with complex spaces combining Japanese and Western architectural styles and elements. Besides its significance in architectural history and its potential for reuse, it also witnesses the era and humanistic meaning, rich in historical and cultural value.
Otani Kozui was a famous Japanese religious figure and explorer. He was the brother-in-law of Emperor Taisho (the Empress was the younger sister of Otani Kozui's wife). He served as a cabinet councilor in the Taiwan Governor-General's Office from 1940 to 1945, participating in major national economic decisions.
Hsiao-yao Yuan, the new Kaohsiung residence, was completed and opened in 1940 (Showa 15). Its purposes were: 1. To serve as a training base for Otani Kozui's development of agriculture and disciple education in Taiwan. 2. To serve as a summer villa and writing retreat for Otani Kozui during his short-term stays in Taiwan while holding important government positions. 3. To serve as an outpost for the Nishi Honganji sect's influence in southern Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. 4. To choose Kaohsiung City as an important gateway for Taiwan's access to Southeast Asia.
I. Exterior Features: The building mass, based on its current condition, has characteristics of residential function, attached to the southwest corner of the core building mass. The roof has rich variations, and its spatial composition logic fully uses the principles of Japanese wooden construction. The circulation to enter this living space is connected by an exposed reinforced concrete staircase, different from the public space accessed by an internal staircase on the other side. The small spaces created between the building masses are filled with terraces. This type of space appears on the east side of the main building, surrounding most of the core mass, allowing the masses to be connected via terraces. The terraces are all paved with wood, exquisitely crafted for architectural aesthetics and landscape use. The tiles on the roof are the exquisite He-hsing kiln black tiles.
II. Interior Features: 1. Possesses the characteristic of traditional Japanese residences lacking a planar center, meaning there is no courtyard space. 2. Has the characteristic of the Churoka-type (central corridor type) of the Showa period. The entire space can be divided into three main areas: social/reception space, service space, and daily living space. The daily living space has a side corridor connecting to the external space. 3. Because the villa's owner had a background of studying abroad and possessed Japanese noble status, the furnishings in both the social/reception space and daily living space exhibit a fusion of Japanese and Western styles.
Otani Kozui was a famous Japanese religious figure and explorer. He was the brother-in-law of Emperor Taisho (the Empress was the younger sister of Otani Kozui's wife). He served as a cabinet councilor in the Taiwan Governor-General's Office from 1940 to 1945, participating in major national economic decisions.
Hsiao-yao Yuan, the new Kaohsiung residence, was completed and opened in 1940 (Showa 15). Its purposes were: 1. To serve as a training base for Otani Kozui's development of agriculture and disciple education in Taiwan. 2. To serve as a summer villa and writing retreat for Otani Kozui during his short-term stays in Taiwan while holding important government positions. 3. To serve as an outpost for the Nishi Honganji sect's influence in southern Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. 4. To choose Kaohsiung City as an important gateway for Taiwan's access to Southeast Asia.
I. Exterior Features: The building mass, based on its current condition, has characteristics of residential function, attached to the southwest corner of the core building mass. The roof has rich variations, and its spatial composition logic fully uses the principles of Japanese wooden construction. The circulation to enter this living space is connected by an exposed reinforced concrete staircase, different from the public space accessed by an internal staircase on the other side. The small spaces created between the building masses are filled with terraces. This type of space appears on the east side of the main building, surrounding most of the core mass, allowing the masses to be connected via terraces. The terraces are all paved with wood, exquisitely crafted for architectural aesthetics and landscape use. The tiles on the roof are the exquisite He-hsing kiln black tiles.
II. Interior Features: 1. Possesses the characteristic of traditional Japanese residences lacking a planar center, meaning there is no courtyard space. 2. Has the characteristic of the Churoka-type (central corridor type) of the Showa period. The entire space can be divided into three main areas: social/reception space, service space, and daily living space. The daily living space has a side corridor connecting to the external space. 3. Because the villa's owner had a background of studying abroad and possessed Japanese noble status, the furnishings in both the social/reception space and daily living space exhibit a fusion of Japanese and Western styles.
Event Details
- 2026-01-01 — 新興區（高雄市）