Bansuiso
Points of Interest & LandmarksArchitectural Buildings
09:00 - 18:00
Tuesday
09:00 - 18:00
Wednesday
09:00 - 18:00
Thursday
09:00 - 18:00
Friday
09:00 - 18:00
Saturday
09:00 - 18:00
Sunday
09:00 - 18:00
About
Bansuisou is a property that was built in 1922 by Count Hisamatsu Sadakoto, a descendant of the former lord of Matsuyama. The architect, Kigo Shichiro, was influenced by the Count's long stay in France and meticulously studied Western architecture to create this beautiful French-style building. It was a popular gathering place for distinguished guests from various fields and was always visited by members of the imperial family when they came to the prefecture. The building has been preserved in its original state since its construction, making it a valuable architectural treasure. In 1985, it was designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by Ehime Prefecture and, in November 2011, it was designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The building itself is a work of art, and the first floor is currently rented out for use for various events and exhibitions.
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles272 reviews
Excellent
78
Very good
128
Average
63
Poor
3
Terrible
0

Nathaniel Fine
Seattle, WA10 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019 • Solo
The villa is a very handsome building, located just below Matsuyama castle and very close to one of the main streets through town. English signage is minimal inside, but entrance is only ¥300 and the building itself is worth seeing if you have time. Nearby, there are a handful of spots where Masaoka Shiki and Natsume Soseki spent time.
Written 23 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hinau
Auckland, New Zealand489 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
and a nice garden, a little oasis hidden right in the middle of the city. Tea shop looked like it might be a nice visit later in the mroning.
Written 19 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TimboAU1
Sydney, Australia200 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Solo
Bansuiso Villa is grand in scale and beautiful in design, built by Count Sadakoto Hisamatsu in the 1920’s and in the French Neo-Renaissance style, located at the base of Matsuyama Castle within a beautiful forest location. Well worth the visit to appreciate it’s beauty and a short walk from Saka No Ue No Kumo Museum.
Written 28 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ozteddy
Brisbane, Australia463 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Couples
Just down the road from our hotel, we thought we'd check this place out as we had a few hours spare and it sounded interesting. It was. A French style chateau looking quite out of place in Japan was nevertheless an impressive building, and we could only wonder what the Japanese thought of it when it was built. I expected the interior to be furnished, but the place was basically empty so not really much to see inside except the Western interior, not really exciting to us, and a display of photos from a television show obviously filmed there, was pretty much it apart from a couple of photos of the original owners, and as there was little to no English translation it was all a bit lost on us.
Unfortunately we had just eaten lunch, as the small restaurant to the side of the property looked quite enticing. The garden is simple but was pretty with a huge cherry blossom towering over the entrance road and the hedges, and the building backing onto the hill where the castle is. Not a must do by any means, but an interesting look at another era and local history.
Written 25 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

investigator2
Reynella, Australia877 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 • Couples
Built by an official returning from Switzerland the building is now a state museum. Free to access the ground floor situated behind a large government building
Written 23 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

natalieandmonkey
Hertfordshire97 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Solo
Like many reviewers have commented on, Bansuiso is undoubtedly a beautiful mansion. The walk up the hill is a relaxing meander through nature with a small waterfall, gazebo, cafe and well placed map for orientation.
However, I can't help feeling it is a missed opportunity. Built in 1922, it apparently was the hub of the social scene in Matsuyama with important guests including then Crown Prince Hirohito.
It is only 300 yen to look round the upper level and they have many historic features however not a lot at all on the history of the house. There was only one room which contained interpretative signage however the rest seemed to be a temporary art exhibition.
Compared to say the historic homes in Kobe, it really did seem lacking which is frustrating because you get the feeling there is so much history of the interwar period in Japan tucked away in the home.
Written 28 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eric J
Wels, Austria5,848 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2017 • Solo
Bansuisou is a French- style villa built by one of the descendants of the Matsuyama clan, Hisamatsu Sadakotu, in 1922. It was a big hit then, with multiple visits from the Imaerial Family over the years. It is now open to the public and offers a glimpse into life at that time. Very worthwhile.
Written 23 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CCK
California26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2016
Very beautiful and well kept mansion. It is free to browse around the outside area and the first floor which sometimes host art exhibits. However if you would like to visit the second floor it costs 300 Yen (~3 USD). Very close to city center and worth spending half an hour here.
Written 28 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

knycx
London, UK64 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014 • Friends
The Bansuiso (Bansui Mansion) was up the slope on the same road of the Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum and the final stop of the city tour bus. It was an elegant French style mansion building constructed in 1922 and now it was a multi-functional venue for private parties and functions. It has also areas opened to the public for visitors to appreciate the architecture and small exhibits. ... http://wp.me/p5Lw9a-4h
Written 13 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BertSG
Singapore519 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2014 • Family
We made a 30min stopover here enroute from the castle to Okaido Shopping alley.

A pleasant visit simply because this European styled house stands out amongst all other buildings. Not a big villa but one with a simply and nice garden. Not a must visit but a consideration for a stopover if you are in that vicinity.
Written 6 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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BANSUISO: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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