"Platinum Family: A Peek into the Magnificent Family" (TV Asahi, Tuesdays at 7 PM, excluding some areas) is a program showcasing the lifestyle of a "magnificent family." On January 27th, a two-hour special will air titled "Infiltrating a Huge Mansion with a Long Wall Special." The program will feature a castle-like mansion built approximately 450 years ago in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture, with a total area of approximately 2,600 square meters and surrounded by a long white wall.
The mansion is inhabited by a descendant of the Imanishi family, an ancient powerful clan whose name is even mentioned in Japan's oldest historical book, the Kojiki. The Imanishi family is said to be an extremely prestigious family that once supported politics alongside the Emperor and was even entrusted with local judicial power by the shogunate during the Edo period.
The mansion, built with the combined skills of master carpenters, has been described by experts as "potentially the first private residence to become a national treasure." On the grounds, the "Oshirasu," where criminals were tried, and the "Ibushiro," a torture chamber where confessions were forced, remain as they were at the time, and MC Chisako Takashima, who witnessed the site in the studio, was amazed, saying, "It looks like a movie could be made here."
Its historical value is recognized by the Imperial Family and overseas royal families. Empress Emerita Michiko came across a mention of the Imanishi family while researching the Kojiki, which led to her three children (the Emperor, Prince Akishino, and Princess Sayako) visiting. Furthermore, the previous head of the family was friends with King Charles II of England, and the Western-style reception room is filled with luxury furniture and furnishings associated with the British royal family. Meanwhile, the Japanese-style reception room features a "folded coffered ceiling" made by a master carpenter who also worked on the restoration of Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Todaiji Temple, creating a harmonious blend of Japanese and Western aesthetics within the residence.
Deep within the mansion lay numerous precious treasures. The program introduced a sword said to have been bestowed upon him by Oda Nobunaga and a naginata (halberd) said to have been bestowed upon him by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Furthermore, a hanging scroll said to have been given to him by Katsu Kaishu and items showing his deep friendship with Matsuo Basho were also introduced one after another, prompting host Fujimori Shingo to exclaim, "This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"
The program will feature a traditional performing arts family living in a mansion in Kagurazaka, Tokyo; a family living in a mansion of approximately 67,000 square meters in Kitakata, Fukushima, who won the title of "world's best" in a contest; and a family currently living in a samurai residence in Kakunodate, Akita.
