Yes. The three-in-one ticket at ¥540 for adults provides same-day access to the memorial hall, samurai houses, and former Hotta residence. These attractions are within walking distance of each other in Sakura's historic district.
A typical visit to the memorial hall takes 30 to 45 minutes. If you're using the three-in-one ticket to visit all three historic sites, plan for approximately 2 to 3 hours total.
Inquiries can only be answered in Japanese at city facilities. However, some exhibits may have basic English explanations. Visitors requiring English assistance should bring someone who speaks Japanese or use translation apps.
The memorial hall focuses on its permanent collection of medical texts, surgical instruments, and materials related to Sato Taizen's school. Visitors interested in broader Japanese history can purchase the three-in-one ticket and explore multiple historic properties in Sakura City.
I took an off-the-beaten-path trip here! If you like medical history, visiting this location is a good change of pace. It's not that large of an area, but the Meji Era building design and garden are very relaxing.
We visited the "Former Sakura Juntendo (Sakura Juntendo Memorial Hall)" in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture.
Founded by Sato Taizen at the end of the Edo period, this is Japan's oldest Dutch medical school and a must-see for history buffs!
Inside the building, surgical tools and medical books from the time are on display, and the passionate, enterprising atmosphere is overwhelming. The tranquil Japanese architecture is beautiful, and the garden view from the window is a relaxing experience.
This is a tourist spot we highly recommend to fans of the world of the TV drama "JIN."
There are also samurai residences nearby, making it the perfect place for a historical stroll.
Founded as a Dutch medical school and clinic during the late Edo period, the current building was constructed in 1858. Admission is 100 yen. Inside, the museum introduces the founder, Yasutsune Sato, and other great figures who contributed to the development of medicine during the Meiji period. To be honest, they were all so obscure that I had never heard of them. What was even more chilling was the fact that surgeries at the time were performed without anesthesia. Isn't it true that the person undergoing surgery is more important than the person performing the surgery?
This is a Chiba Prefecture designated historic site.
Founded in 1843 by Western medicine doctor Sato Taizen as a Western medicine school and clinic, Juntendo was established in Sakura in 1843. Part of the building has been preserved as the Sakura Juntendo Memorial Hall.
The Juntendo Clinic, a direct descendant of Taizen, is located right next door. (I believe it was the 7th or 8th generation.)
Together with Ogata Koan's Tekijuku to the west, this historic site contributed greatly to the development of modern medicine in Japan.
It is said that Sato Taizen established his school here at the invitation of the Sakura Domain, and that the deep understanding of Western studies of the domain's lord, Hotta Masayoshi, who also served as a senior councilor, likely supported his activities.
Ryotaro Shiba's novel "Butterfly Dream" depicts Sato Taizen and the other members of the Sato family, as well as the turmoil and medical world at the end of the Edo period.
This novel centers around the Sato family and is written with many historical facts in mind, making it a perfect way to understand the historical context of the time. If you're interested in Sato Yasutsune or his family, this is a must-read...
(Although, I read it when I was younger, so I've forgotten a lot of it.)
Nearby are the Sakura Samurai Residences and the Former Hotta Residence, both designated as cultural properties by the national and prefectural governments, and a combined admission ticket is available for all three.
All three museums are closed on Mondays, except on Tuesdays if Mondays fall on a national holiday. Elementary and junior high school students are admitted free on weekends and holidays.
It's a place where you can think back to the medical science of the past. The success of the surgery without anesthesia was a very happy event, but I can't help but imagine how painful it must have been...
