Uenoshita Dojunkai Apartments to be demolished
The last remaining 'dojunkai' apartment building, Uenoshita Apartments, will be demolished next year to make way for a new 14 storey condominium developed by Mitsubishi Jisho Residence.
The head of Taito-ku gave approval on October 9 for the formation of the reconstruction committee.Read more
Original Nikko Kanaya Hotel and Samurai House Foreclosed
*Update: The property sold to a private buyer for 33,000,000 Yen. They were the only bidder. It was then carefully restored, and registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2014. From 2015 onwards it has been open to the public.
The original 350+ year old Nikko Kanaya Hotel has been foreclosed on and is up for auction with a minimum bid set at 25 million Yen (320,000 USD). The house was originally built as a samurai residence in the Kan'ei era (1624-1644). At the beginning of the Meiji era, James Curtis Hepburn, a Christian missionary who created the Hepburn romanization system for Japanese, stayed at the home, which was then the residence of Zenichiro Kanaya. Mr. Hepburn suggested that the owner use his home as an inn for foreigners. The house soon became a popular spot for foreign guests and became known as "Kanaya Cottage Inn" and was later re-named "Kanaya Hotel."Read more
Rare 90 year old house in Chiyoda-ku to be demolished
The 90 year old Kashiwayama Residence in Kanda-Sudacho, Chiyoda-ku, is going to be demolished soon due to deterioration and redevelopment. The sheet copper house dates from the Taisho era. It survived the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923 and the air raids during WWII.
The 3-storey wooden-frame house has a sheet copper facade and a European-style mansard roof. The 1st floor was a small shop, while the owner lived on the 2nd and 3rd floors. The 85 year old owner, Kazuko Kashiwayama, began living here in 1949. In those days, a 3-storey home was rare, and coupled with its modern exterior, it stood out in the neighborhood. When the war had ended, times were very difficult for many residents and quite often people would pinch a copper tile or two from the facade.Read more
Historic Shimoda Ice Factory to be demolished
The Nanzu Ice Factory in Shimoda City is scheduled to be torn down this month due to deterioration and concerns over its earthquake-resistance.Read more
A first for Kansai: Historic bldg facade preserved in redevelopment
Orix Real Estate announced that they will be preserving the facade of a Taisho-era building and will incorporate it into the new condominium being built on the site. The design of the upper floors will also be in keeping with the original building facade. This is the first example of a condominium in the entire Kansai area that preserved the facade of the former building.
Apartment sales in 'Gran Sanctus Yodoyabashi' began on July 3rd, with 45 of the 60 units being offered in the first release. Apartments range in size from 56.09 ~ 78.83 sqm (603 ~ 848 sqft) and are priced from 37.6 ~ 56.5 million Yen. The average price per square meter is 693,000 Yen.Read more
400 yr old house in Osaka to be demolished
The owner of the Watanabe Residence in Osaka's Yodogawa-ku has had the historical listing cancelled as he plans to demolish the home and sell the land in order to pay a high inheritance tax bill.
The current owner inherited the house two years ago and has not been able to pay the inheritance taxes on the property. An application was made to Osaka's Board of Education to remove the listing, so that the property could be razed and sold. The Board of Education said they often receive applications to remove listings due to fire and other damage, but it is rare to receive a request due to difficulty paying taxes.Read more
Kepco demolishing old head office in Osaka
The Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) announced that they will be demolishing and rebuilding their former head office in Osaka from April 2012. Completion of the new building is scheduled for April, 2014.Read more