Torajiro Kouichi, a wealthy merchant who made his fortune in the wax trade, built Garyu Sanso in a scenic spot in Ozu as a vacation home for his retirement. The main building is an architectural masterpiece, but in this guide we'll introduce you to the room called Seisui-no-ma.

The four seasons are all represented in this room. First comes spring -- the broad wooden “ranma,” or transom, resting under the Shinto altar has a carved image of rafts floating down the cherry blossom-filled Hijikawa River. The scene is even more beautiful when the afternoon sun shines through.

To the right we have a ranma with a summer landscape carved into what looks like water ripples. The light on the spring scene is soft, but here the light reflects sharply from the sliding paper door.

Opposite the summer scene there’s a pattern of chrysanthemum petals floating on water called “Kikusui,” which represents autumn. On the other side the window is shaped like a snowflake and represents winter. Water is clearly the theme for every carving of each season. The Shinto altar also has a bench-like shelf underneath it. It’s actually a single plank of camphor wood that Kouich put there with the thought, “I’m sure even the gods need a break from time to time, so they can rest on this bench whenever they want to.”

After ten years of planning, four years of construction, carefully selecting fine woods and working alongside master carpenters, the Garyu-in was finally completed. However, Kouichi passed away before he could see the finished product. But his love of creating something beautiful gave way to his playful side too. Here are some picture clues to the little surprises he hid around the villa during construction. Can you imagine what he was thinking as he hid these secret treasures? Good luck finding them!