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Photo: As6022014, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Kikuya merchant family lived in style, with a large house and a lovely garden. Today, their house is open to the public with over 5,000 period items on display, from dolls to a vintage phone booth.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
旧久保田家住宅
The Kubota family were kimono merchants who moved to Hagi from Omi Province (present-day Shiga). Subsequent generations abandoned kimono-making to start a sake brewery.
田中義一誕生地
A signboard marks the location of the former Prime Minister's birthhome. Nothing remains of the house, but those interested in the man should visit the Tanaka Villa further south in the Hiyako area.
木戸孝允旧宅
A student of Shoin Yoshida at the local Meirinkan, later in life, at the behest of mentor Sakamoto Ryoma, Kido Takayoshi (1833 – 1877) joined Takamori Saigo and Toshimichi Okubo to form the new government during the Meiji Restoration and establish the Five Charter Oath, which abolished the provinces and created the modern prefectures.
青木周弼旧宅
The home of Aoki Shusuke (1803–1863), a doctor and prominent scholar in Dutch medicinal studies. He was the personal doctor of the feudal lord Takachika Mori and treated Takasugi Shinsaku, who would light the spark that would lead to the end of the Tokugawa, for smallpox at the age of 10. The house is divided into the public doctor's office and the family area.
高杉晋作誕生地
A highly-influential samurai who trained at the Shoka Sonjuku. He was the first to create a militia that recruited commoners that became known as the Kiheitai. After witnessing the defeat of his domain by Western powers, he pushed for modernization in the military, giving rifles to his Kiheitai soldiers. The simple belief that modernization would benefit Japan evolved into anti-Tokugawa sentiment as the Tokugawa actively opposed modernizing. He and his army won a civil war in the Choshu Domain to oust supporters of the Tokugawa and fended off direct attempts by the Tokugawa to regain control with weapons he'd imported from abroad. Other domains took note and began siding with the Choshu having proven their superiority. Although he died of tuberculosis in 1867, his leadership created the momentum that toppled the bakufu the following year.
The house remains with exhibits facing outside for visitors (you cannot step into the house). The well outside is where he was bathed after his birth.
萩博物館
Built in 2004, this museum has exhibitions about samurai Yoshida Shoin and Takasugi Shinsaku.