A Timber Bank with a Western Face
The Former Owada Bank Head Office Building (旧大和田銀行本店社屋) is the head office of a bank of 1901 in Aioicho, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 26, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey timber building with a tiled roof, covering 248 square metres, altered in 1904 and 1996; registration number 18-218.
A Timber Bank with a Western Front
The former Owada Bank Head Office Building stands in central Tsuruga: a two-storey timber building with a gabled roof of pantiles and its entrance on the long side (Agency for Cultural Affairs). A parapet raised along the front makes the roof look flat, and rows of tall rectangular windows give it a Western appearance.
At the front are the customer hall and banking room, with reception rooms on either side and Japanese-style rooms behind (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape, as a surviving head office of a regional bank that shapes the street.
What to Look For
Look for the parapet that makes the roof look flat and the Western-style front with its rows of tall windows (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
No official information on its present use or interior access was found. The building can be seen from the street.
Q&A
- When was the former Owada Bank Head Office Building built?
- In 1901 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What does its front look like?
- A Western front with a parapet and rows of tall windows.
- How was the inside arranged?
- Banking rooms at the front, reception rooms at the sides, Japanese rooms behind.
- Can I visit the building?
- No official information on interior access was found.
- When was the Former Owada Bank Head Office Building registered?
- On February 26, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Owada Bank Head Office Building (旧大和田銀行本店社屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 8-13 Aioicho and others, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/02/26 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber, tiled roof, 248 m² |
| Owner | Tsuruga City |
| Public Access | No official information on interior access |
References
- Former Owada Bank Head Office Building (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013716
Last verified: 2026.10.16
