A 1924 Shipping Office at Mitsu Harbour
The Ishizaki Kisen Head Office (石崎汽船本社, Ishizaki Kisen honsha) is a two-storey reinforced concrete office building completed in 1924 in Mitsu, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 24, 2001. It stands at the entrance to the wharf of Mitsu Port and is owned by the shipping company Ishizaki Kisen.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a two-storey reinforced concrete building with a flat roof and a building area of 128 square metres; its registration number is 38-0010. It was designed by Kigo Shichiro, an architect closely tied to Matsuyama.
Why It Was Registered
The Ishizaki Kisen Head Office was registered as a model of architectural form. The Agency for Cultural Affairs regards it as a symbol of Mitsuhama, which prospered on Seto Inland Sea shipping.
According to Matsuyama City, the office was finished the year after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and was built in reinforced concrete, then a groundbreaking choice, with earthquake and fire resistance in mind. Kigo himself supervised construction, gave technical guidance down to the details and was involved in buying materials; all the ornamental fittings were made to order in Osaka. The total cost was 38,366 yen.
Kigo Shichiro (1884 to 1955) came from a long line of shrine and temple carpenters. After graduating from Tokyo Imperial University he opened a design office in Osaka, and as the son-in-law of the Matsuyama-born industrialist Nitta Chojiro he designed many buildings in Matsuyama, including Bansuiso and the Ehime Prefectural Office (Matsuyama City).
What to Look For
The front is symmetrical. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, its centre projects slightly, with orange tiles between the pilasters and white tiles on either side. Matsuyama City adds that the base is finished in washed artificial stone, and that a small balcony rail projects above the entrance with simple relief ornament.
Inside, Matsuyama City says, the ground floor is notable for its high ceiling and marble-clad counter. A lift and steel window frames were originally planned but dropped for budget reasons. In this small two-storey office at the harbour gate, the ambitions of a shipping company are plain to see.
Visiting the Ishizaki Kisen Head Office
The Ishizaki Kisen Head Office is a company-owned building, and its exterior can be seen from near the wharf entrance at Mitsu Port. No official information on interior viewing or photography was found. Matsuyama City lists Ishizaki Kisen (089-951-0128) as the contact. The address is 1-4-9 Mitsu, Matsuyama City.
Q&A
- When was the Ishizaki Kisen Head Office built?
- It was completed in 1924, the year after the Great Kanto Earthquake.
- When was the Ishizaki Kisen Head Office registered as a cultural property?
- It became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 24, 2001.
- Who designed the Ishizaki Kisen Head Office?
- Kigo Shichiro, who also designed Bansuiso and the Ehime Prefectural Office, and who supervised the construction himself.
- What does the building's front look like?
- A symmetrical facade with orange tiles between the central pilasters, white tiles on the sides and a small balcony rail above the entrance.
- Can you go inside the Ishizaki Kisen Head Office?
- There is no official information on interior viewing; the exterior can be seen near the wharf entrance at Mitsu Port.
Basic Information
| Name | Ishizaki Kisen Head Office (石崎汽船本社) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-4-9 Mitsu, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2001/4/24 (Heisei 13) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, two storeys, building area 128 square metres |
| Owner | Ishizaki Kisen Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable (no information on interior access) |
References
- Ishizaki Kisen Head Office (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002179
- Ishizaki Kisen Head Office (Matsuyama City)
- https://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/kanko/kankoguide/rekishibunka/bunkazai/kunitouroku/isizakikisen_honsha.html
Last verified: 2026.10.05