[Demolished] The Kodera Residence, Kobe
This spanish-style villa in Kobe City was originally the home of Kansai University Professor, Keiichi Kodera. Designed by William Merrell Vories and completed in 1931, it was considered to be one of the top three finest examples of his work. The other two include the Oumigishi Residence in Osaka and the Toshiba Takanawa Club in Tokyo. The 3-storey home was constructed out of reinforced concrete, red spanish roof tiles and white plaster walls and was built by Takenaka Corporation.Read more
Meiji-era storehouse to be torn down in Miyagi
After sustaining serious structural damage during the March 11 Tohoku earthquake, the Matsuyama Zashiki-Kura* in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, will be demolished by the end of the year. The City said that a shortage of building materials and high repair costs mean it is not possible to restore the property.Read more
Demolition starts on Hiroo's Hanezawa Garden
Mitsubishi Estate began demolishing the former residence of Yoshikoto Nakamura, also known as the Hanezawa Garden, in Hiroo on October 3rd despite countless attempts by local residents to preserve the house and Japanese gardens dating back to 1915.Read more
The "World's Oldest Manga Cafe" to close down
Manrakuen Comic Paradise is a Japanese Manga-Kissa (a comic book library and cafe) near Jinbocho Station in Tokyo where customers pay 400 year per hour to sit and read from the collection of over 20,000 comic books.Read more
Kawasaki apartment block to be rebuilt after construction defects discovered
A 7-storey apartment building in Kawasaki City is due to be demolished and rebuilt after construction flaws were recently discovered that compromize the integrity of the structure.
A routine building inspection in 2009 uncovered gaps inside the beams and pillars of the building, as well as styrofoam and wood mixed in with the concrete pillars and walls. There were also fewer reinforced bars in the concrete than the construction blueprints indicated.Read more
The leaning tower of Sendai
Sunny Heights Takasago, a 14-storey, 189 unit apartment building in Sendai City, suffered serious damage during the March 11 Earthquake which left it tilting on an angle.
Following the earthquake, 400 residents evacuated their apartments and stayed in the 1st floor meeting area or at the nearby school hall. The pillars in Sunny Heights had developed cracks and the reinforcing steel was poking out of the concrete. From a distance it was easy to see how much the building was leaning.Read more
Hiroshima's Kyobashi Kaikan residence to be demolished
Kyobashi Kaikan was constructed by the Hiroshima Prefectural Housing Corporation during the restoration period following the nuclear bombing. The building is now 57 years old and due to aging and its dilapidated condition it will be torn down and replaced by a 21 story building. Demolition is scheduled to begin in September, 2011.Read more