Ando Family has been living in Nagahama since Muromachi Period. Ando was chosen as one of the “Juninshu” (Ten Representative Families) that governs Nagahama by the samurai, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and made a big contribution to the development of the city.

The existing house is said to have been built sometime between 1905 and 1915 and it boasts the beautiful decorations such as mushiko-mado (lattice windows) and bengara-koshi (red colored lattice windows), representing a modern Japanese architecture.

Also, the House is known for its design by one of the greatest Japanese general artist, Rosanjin Kitaoji. Not only the seal engraving on the signboard but the ceiling painting, seal engraving on the frame, fusuma sliding doors, other sliding doors, cupboard, and so on in the guest cottage of Ando House, “Shorantei”, are his works. The garden is worth seeing, too. It has a path around the pond and features big rocks. The scenery gives different impressions according to the season.