Japanese Camp David: Prime Minister Nakasone's Hinode-sanso

Fifty-eight km (36 miles) west of his official residence, Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone owned a favorite retreat called Hinode-sanso (Hinode is the name of the location; sanso means mountain villa in Japanese.) He often found his way to this secluded spot to escape the hustle and bustle of his busy life as a politician and find peace and quiet.

He also invited many eminent guests to the villa, including foreign dignitaries such as U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan. As such, Hinode-sanso served as a venue where leaders were able to relax and talk in a natural environment, similar to Camp David in the U.S.

After retiring from his political career, PM Nakasone donated the villa to the local government Hinode Town in the Tokyo Metropolis in 2006 so that it has been turned into a museum open to the public. 

Because it is located in my neighborhood, I had been very curious about this place ever since PM Nakasone hosted President Reagan there in 1983. I finally had a chance to visit today.

Occupying some 25,000 m2 (2.5 ha) of land, the villa consists of three buildings: the Seiundo residence, the Tenshintei cottage and the Shoin house, set in gardens providing background colors that change with the seasons.

The entire property is well maintained, and exudes a special aura that you can feel only in the venue, something that pictures cannot convey. It is a different world, and I was impressed by PM Nakasone's aesthetic sense and good choice of the location.

In this small room of the Tenshintei cottage, President Reagan and PM Nakasone had a one-on-one talk, calling each other "Ron" and "Yasu." To commemorate their great relationship, a local confectionery store Koshindo has even made "Ron-Yasu manju (steamed bun)," which is still available today. I thought it was a perfect setting for them to speak their minds. 

The Western-style house Shoin was built in 1989 and functioned as a guest house. After stepping down as Prime Minister, Nakasone invited colleagues who shared good times and bad. He entertained his guests in a style reminiscent of the blending of East and West that characterized the Meiji Period, performing a tea ceremony in the traditional Japanese setting of the Seiundo or Tenshintei, and then serving Western-style meals on the spacious balcony of the Shoin.

A picture of Mt. Fuji pained by PM Nakasone

PM Nakasone's study upstairs

This picture tells the two leaders very much enjoyed each other's company. Looks like "Hinode-sanso diplomacy" was very successful.

I really enjoyed exploring this special place, and hope anyone who is interested in Japan-U.S. relations and international affairs would feel the same way. You can easily go there in a day's drive from central Tokyo.