Historic ryokan in Gunma to be demolished this month

The Kazawa-kan Ryokan in Tsumagoi, Gunma, is scheduled to be demolished in the coming months. The traditional inn suffered serious damage due to a landslide caused by the Typhoon Hagibis in October 2019. Facing an astronomical repair bill and with the recent pandemic decimating the local tourism market, the 4th-generation owner made the difficult decision to cease operations. 

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91-yr old building in Jimbocho to be demolished

The 91-year old former Sogo Mutual Loan building in Tokyo’s Jimbocho neighborhood will be demolished in September. The 5-story concrete building with brick-tile facade was built in 1929. It has a total floor area of 453 sqm (4,874 sq.ft) and sits on a 106 sqm block of land.

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113-year old house in Setagaya may be demolished

Unless a last-minute deal can be struck, the historic former home of Yukio Ozaki (1858-1954), a revered politician nicknamed the ‘father of the Japanese Constitution’, is likely to be demolished very soon.

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Heritage listed shop in Nagasaki to be demolished

A 122-year old jewelry store in Nagasaki will be demolished this month after the owner has decided to sell off the land. The Ezaki Bekko Store was founded in 1709 and, until this month, was Japan’s oldest tortoiseshell specialty store.

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Derelict condo-hotel in Sendai to be demolished

An almost-abandoned condo/hotel in Sendai City will be demolished and potentially redeveloped after sitting empty for 20 years.

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Oldest merchant house in Kanto region demolished

Demolition of the Mizumura Residence in Kawagoe, Saitama, started on April 24. Built in the 1700s, this is said to have been one of the oldest surviving machiya townhouses in the Kanto region. 

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Tsukiji machiya demolished

The traditional machiya-style townhouse in Tsukiji we featured back in February 2019 when it was listed for sale, has, sadly, been demolished. It will be replaced with a 5-story hotel covering the adjoining vacant lots. Completion is scheduled for February 2021.

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