Hayashi Fumiko was a famous author who lived in Tokyo in the mid-20th century. Her and her husband Ryokubin, a painter, built this beautiful house in the Ochiai area in northwest Shinjuku surrounded by a small but lovely traditional Japanese garden. Their house was actually two buildings due to building restrictions around the war time, which they connected upon their completion. Fumiko was highly involved in the construction of the house having studied architecture. Much of the design of the house was inspired by elements of Kyoto. Today, the house stands in the middle of a quiet neighborhood as a memorial to Hayashi and her traditional yet progressive tastes in architecture.