A 99-year old historic residence in Hyogo Prefecture is close to collapse, leaving city officials struggling to find a way to protect it against the wishes of its owner.

The Ando Residence was built in 1919 near Okubo Station in Akashi City. The exterior walls of the home are built from stone, while the mansard roof has emerald-green glazed Spanish tiles. It was designed by architect Yutaro Kagoya (1876-1936). Kagoya specialized in repairing old shrines and temples before establishing his own architectural firm that designed homes. Some of his works included the Sarue Dojunkai Apartments (c1927) in Koto Ward, Tokyo (demolished in 1992), the Takushoku University main building (c1932) in Tokyo, and the Higashi Honganji temple in Asakusa (c1939).

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