Bunkyo-ku is famous for its universities and literary sons. Natsume Soseki, a 19th century novelist is pictured on the 1000 yen note and the site of the house where he wrote I Am A Cat is not too far from our own.
When we first visited it, there was an old stone monolith carved with some of Soseki’s vital statistics. It was the stone equivalent to the historical markers that dot roadsides in the US. Informative. Not terribly imaginative. A record of something worth recalling.
Recently, the nearby university made the property, “Natsume Soseki’s Cat’s House” is how it’s listed on a map, part of its campus. They tore down the old building and monument and erected a lovely, modern structure for classrooms. And the rebuilt the monument.
There’s a new stone monolith with Soseki’s biography. A delightful addition awaits the observant visitor. A grey slate wall runs along the side of the building. Perched on top of the wall, looking out over the neighborhood is a bronze cat sculpted in a lively pose. The perfect touch.
