Zoshunkaku is a historic Japanese building located in Suwamachi, Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture. Originally part of the Mukōjima residence of businessman Okura Kihachiro in Tokyo, the building was constructed as a reception facility for important guests.
After being relocated and reused several times over the course of its history, Zoshunkaku has survived while retaining its elegant architectural character. It was opened to the public in April 2023, providing visitors with an opportunity to explore an important piece of Japan’s architectural and industrial history.
In 1879, Okura Kihachiro established a villa in Mukōjima, along the Sumida River in what is now Sumida Ward, Tokyo. Zoshunkaku was built there in 1912 as a reception building for distinguished guests.
The building was constructed after the Russo-Japanese War, when Okura wanted a suitable setting for entertaining particularly important visitors. Among the prominent political and business figures known to have visited the villa were Itō Hirobumi and Shibusawa Eiichi.
Zoshunkaku is a two-story structure with a building area of approximately 254.5 square meters and a total floor area of approximately 398.5 square meters. Its traditional roof follows the irimoya-zukuri style with karahafu gables, while a lightning rod was installed on the roof. Because of its impressive appearance and grand character, the building was sometimes simply referred to as a palace-like residence.
After World War II, during the Allied occupation of Japan, the former Okura villa was used under names such as Okura Villa and Restaurant Okura. The property was requisitioned as a facility for entertaining occupation forces, with cooperation from the Okura organization.
At the time, the nearby area included Hatonomachi, which was known as a red-light district, and there were also cafes in the surrounding area. This period represents a complex chapter in the building’s long history.
In November 1955, Zoshunkaku was acquired by Asahi Land Industries and relocated to the newly opened Funabashi Health Center. The large leisure complex was located in the area that later became associated with the LaLaport TOKYO-BAY development.
After its relocation, the building was renamed Chōanden and reused as a Chinese restaurant. Its magnificent exterior and refined interior made it an attractive dining destination for visitors to the leisure complex.
When the Funabashi Health Center closed in 1977, Zoshunkaku was moved again in 1978 using a traditional relocation method known as hikiyā, in which an entire building is shifted to a new position.
It was subsequently preserved as an auxiliary facility called Kiōkaku at the Mitsui Garden Hotel within the LaLaport TOKYO-BAY complex. The building continued to be used and enjoyed by visitors, but Kiōkaku eventually closed in 2006.
The hotel itself ceased operations in 2011. In 2012, Zoshunkaku was donated to the Okura Cultural Foundation. The foundation dismantled the building with the intention of relocating it again and carefully stored its architectural components.
The dismantled components of Zoshunkaku were eventually transported to Shibata City in Niigata Prefecture, the birthplace of Okura Kihachiro.
The Okura Cultural Foundation proposed donating the building to Shibata City so that it could be preserved in the region associated with Okura’s early life and legacy. The city accepted the proposal, and in autumn 2017, the decision to relocate the building to Shibata was officially announced.
In February 2019, Higashi Park was selected from four potential sites as the location for the reconstructed building.
Relocation and reconstruction work began in October 2020. On April 29, 2023, Zoshunkaku was officially opened to the public in its new home.
Today, the building is attracting attention as a new cultural and tourism attraction in Shibata, allowing visitors to discover both its architectural beauty and its connection to one of Japan’s prominent businessmen of the modern era.
One of the most striking features of Zoshunkaku is its traditional irimoya-zukuri roof with karahafu gables. The gently curved roof creates an elegant silhouette characteristic of high-status traditional Japanese architecture.
The lightning rod installed above the roof is also an interesting detail. It illustrates how the building combined traditional architectural aesthetics with practical modern technology when it was constructed in the early 20th century.
The building represents a blend of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, refined design, and modern practicality, reflecting the architectural tastes of the period.
Zoshunkaku was specifically designed as a place for entertaining important guests. Its spacious Japanese-style rooms, large windows overlooking the garden, and restrained interior decoration created a sophisticated and peaceful setting for formal gatherings.
The architecture was intended not only to impress guests but also to provide a comfortable and elegant atmosphere. The relationship between the interior rooms, garden views, and traditional architectural details remains one of the building’s major attractions today.
Few buildings have experienced a history quite like Zoshunkaku. Over the decades, it has been relocated several times and adapted for different uses.
During the postwar occupation, it was used as a facility associated with occupation forces. At the Funabashi Health Center, it became a Chinese restaurant, and later it was preserved and reused as part of the Mitsui Garden Hotel complex.
Despite these changes in purpose and location, the building’s elegant architecture and quiet atmosphere remained highly valued. Careful dismantling and storage by the Okura Cultural Foundation ultimately made it possible to reconstruct the building in Shibata.
Its return to Shibata City, the birthplace of Okura Kihachiro, has given the building a new historical context. It now serves as a place where visitors can learn about the architectural heritage of the early modern period as well as the life and achievements of Okura.
Zoshunkaku is located within Higashi Park in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture.
It takes approximately 40 minutes by car from Niigata Station.
From Shibata Station on the JR Hakushin Line, Zoshunkaku is approximately 20 minutes on foot.
From the bus stop in front of Shibata Station, take a bus to Higashi Kōen-mae. The journey takes approximately 15 minutes.
Zoshunkaku is much more than a beautifully preserved traditional building. Its story reflects the changing history of Japan over more than a century, from the world of wealthy industrialists and distinguished guests in prewar Tokyo to its postwar reuse and eventual preservation.
Having been built in Tokyo, relocated to Funabashi, carefully dismantled, and finally reconstructed in Shibata, the building has traveled an unusual path before reaching its present home.
Since its public opening on April 29, 2023, visitors have been able to appreciate its elegant architecture and learn about its fascinating history. For travelers interested in Japanese architecture, history, cultural heritage, and the story of modern Japan, Zoshunkaku offers a distinctive opportunity to encounter a historic building that has survived by adapting to the changing times.