Art Space Taniwo (Former Jushichi Bank Nogata Branch): A Taisho-Era Gem in Fukuoka's Coal Country
Stand at a quiet intersection in the old town of Nogata, Fukuoka, and you will find a building that seems to have stepped out of an early twentieth-century postcard. Brick-patterned tile walls, a distinctive tower-like projection at the southeast corner, and delicate Secession-style ornaments around the entrance all speak of an era when Japan was eagerly absorbing European design. This is Art Space Taniwo, once known as the Jushichi Bank Nogata Branch—a nationally registered tangible cultural property that has watched over the streets of Nogata for more than a century.
The building is a rare and treasured reminder of the prosperity that the Chikuho coal fields brought to this corner of Kyushu during the Taisho era. Today it continues to serve as a landmark in the heart of the old commercial district, inviting passers-by to pause and admire its quiet, elegant presence.
Historical Background: A Bank for a Coal-Rich Town
To understand this building, it helps to understand Nogata itself. From the Meiji period through the early Showa era, Nogata sat at the heart of the Chikuho coal fields, which supplied a significant share of Japan's industrial coal. The city grew rapidly, and with growth came a pressing need for modern financial institutions to handle the flows of capital moving in and out of the mines.
The Jushichi Bank—literally the "Seventeenth Bank"—traces its origins to the Seventeenth National Bank, founded in 1877 by the former Fukuoka domain and local merchants. Over the decades it grew into one of Fukuoka's leading regional banks, expanding through mergers and opening branches across the prefecture. Its Nogata branch was built during the Taisho era, at the height of the local coal boom, to serve the bustling commercial town.
After the turbulence of the early Showa era, the Jushichi Bank was absorbed in 1945 into a new institution formed by the merger of several regional banks—today's Fukuoka Bank. The branch was renamed Fukuoka Bank Nogata-Minami Branch and continued its financial role for decades. In 1997, the late Mr. Kinya Taniwo, a long-time supporter of art and culture in Nogata, helped transform the building into Nogata City Museum of Art Annex, better known by its affectionate nickname "Art Space Taniwo."
Why It Is Designated as a Cultural Property
The building was registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) on December 24, 2013. The official description from the Agency for Cultural Affairs highlights several features that give it enduring value.
It is described as a two-story wood and brick structure on a corner lot, finished with a sheet-metal roof, whose southeast corner projects in the manner of a small tower. The exterior walls are clad in small brick-pattern tiles, with granite accents used on the foundation, banding, and window sills to add rhythm and contrast. Fine details around the entrance and the pilasters are executed in the Secession style—an early modernist idiom that originated in Vienna and spread across Europe and Japan in the early twentieth century.
The building is also recognized as the only surviving Taisho-era bank building in Nogata, making it an irreplaceable witness to the city's modern history. Its continued presence as a beloved local landmark, and its careful preservation of original features such as the heavy bank vault inside, further strengthened the case for registration.
Architectural Highlights
Although modest in scale, the former Jushichi Bank Nogata Branch is quietly ambitious in design. Its architecture reflects an era in which Japanese builders were confidently blending Western classical motifs with the new, geometric vocabulary of European modernism.
The Corner Turret
The most memorable feature is the tower-like element at the southeast corner. Anchoring the building at a major street intersection, it gives the structure a sense of civic importance and directs the eye upward—an effect banks of this period often sought in order to project trust and stability. Historical records note that, when first completed, the roof was crowned with a graceful dome, making the original silhouette even more striking than today's.
Brick-Pattern Tile and Granite Accents
Rather than using real brick for the main walls, the builders chose small brick-pattern tiles, creating the warm color and texture of brickwork in a lighter, more flexible construction. Granite bands, sills, and plinths provide a cool, solid counterpoint, articulating the façade into horizontal layers that emphasize proportion and dignity.
Secession-Style Details
Look closely at the entrance surround and the pilasters, and you will see delicate geometric motifs that depart from the heavier classical ornament common in Meiji-era banks. These echo the Vienna Secession movement, which favored simplified, elegant forms and subtle decoration. This stylistic choice places the building at an interesting transitional moment between nineteenth-century historicism and the modernism that would follow.
Interior Traces of a Bank
Inside, the building retains features unmistakably rooted in its original function, including a heavy vault room from its banking days. Walking through the interior, visitors can sense the rhythm of a early twentieth-century banking hall—tall windows, generous ceiling heights, and the solid masonry details that once reassured depositors.
The Collection: Glass Art and Takatori Ware
When open to the public as Art Space Taniwo, the building serves as a welcoming gallery that brings together two very different collections. The first is a wide-ranging assembly of approximately 260 glass artworks, including engraved glass and goblets from the Czech Republic, Germany, France, and China, as well as exquisite Edo kiriko cut glass from Japan. Sunlight filtering through the original tall windows plays beautifully across the faceted surfaces of these works.
The second is a display of about 90 excavated pieces of Takatori ware, a refined stoneware tradition closely associated with the tea ceremony, drawn from the Takuma and Uchigaso kiln sites. Together, these collections offer a cross-cultural dialogue—European craftsmanship in glass meeting a centuries-old Kyushu ceramic tradition—within the setting of a Taisho-era bank hall. The museum has also housed a gallery café, further inviting visitors to linger.
Visitor Information and Current Status
An important note for travelers: based on a seismic evaluation carried out in fiscal year 2025, the building was found not to meet current earthquake-resistance standards. Accordingly, Nogata City announced the temporary closure of Art Space Taniwo and the adjoining TELBOX Mini Gallery as of 17:00 on December 26, 2025, in order to ensure visitor safety. At the time of writing, a reopening date has not been announced.
Even during the closure, the building remains a striking sight from the street. Visitors to central Nogata can still enjoy its exterior—its tower, brick-pattern tile walls, and distinctive Taisho atmosphere—as part of a walk through the old town. For the latest updates on reopening and any satellite exhibitions of the collection, please check the Nogata City official website and the Yumenity Nogata cultural foundation before your visit.
The building stands roughly a nine-minute walk from the east exit of JR Nogata Station on the Chikuho Main Line, making it easy to combine with other cultural sites in the city center.
Things to See Nearby
Nogata's compact old town offers a satisfying itinerary of heritage sites within walking distance. Just a short stroll from Art Space Taniwo stands the main Nogata Taniwo Museum of Art, whose Western-style wing (the former Okuno Clinic) and Japanese-style wing (the former Okuno Residence) are both registered tangible cultural properties in their own right.
Nearby you will also find the Mukainoo Kenichi Memorial Museum, housed in another handsome historic building, and Nogata Saijikan, the former residence of a coal baron that offers a quiet glimpse of early twentieth-century domestic life. The Nogata Coal Mining Memorial Museum tells the broader story of the Chikuho coal fields and the industrial foundation that once made buildings like the Jushichi Bank branch necessary.
For a change of pace, walk down to the Onga River, whose wide banks host cherry blossoms in spring and the city's celebrated summer fireworks festival. Taga Shrine, the traditional tutelary shrine of the old castle town, is another atmospheric stop, while Meijimachi Shopping Street preserves the feel of a small provincial commercial district with cafés and independent shops tucked into historic buildings.
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Q＆A
- Is Art Space Taniwo currently open to visitors?
- No. The facility has been temporarily closed since 17:00 on December 26, 2025, following a seismic evaluation. A reopening date has not yet been announced. However, the exterior of the building can still be appreciated from the street as part of a walk through old Nogata.
- How do I get there from Fukuoka or Kitakyushu?
- Take the JR Chikuho Main Line to Nogata Station; the journey is about 60 minutes from JR Hakata Station and around 45 minutes from JR Kokura Station. From the east exit of Nogata Station, the building is roughly a nine-minute walk through the old commercial district.
- Why is the building called "Art Space Taniwo"?
- The name honors the late Mr. Kinya Taniwo, who in 1997 supported the adaptive reuse of the former bank as an annex of the Nogata City Museum of Art. The nickname has been affectionately adopted by local residents.
- What architectural style does the building represent?
- It is a Taisho-era Western-influenced bank building, with brick-pattern tile and granite-accented exterior walls and Secession-style details around the entrance and pilasters. The Secession style originated in Vienna at the turn of the twentieth century and influenced Japanese architects of the period.
- Is there an admission fee?
- When the facility is operating normally, admission has been free of charge. Please confirm the latest information, including any future reopening details, on the official Nogata City website or the Yumenity Nogata foundation website before visiting.
Basic Information
| Name | Art Space Taniwo (Former Jushichi Bank Nogata Branch) |
|---|---|
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Registration Date | December 24, 2013 |
| Period | Taisho era (approximately 1913) |
| Structure | Two stories, wood-frame and brick construction, sheet-metal roof |
| Building Area | Approximately 375 m² |
| Number of Structures | 1 building |
| Location | 929-1 Furumachi and adjacent parcels, Nogata City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Owner | Nogata City |
| Access | Approximately 9 minutes on foot from the east exit of JR Nogata Station (Chikuho Main Line) |
| Current Status | Temporarily closed from 17:00, December 26, 2025 (reopening date undetermined) |
References
- Art Space Taniwo (Former Jushichi Bank Nogata Branch) — Cultural Heritage Online
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/274603
- National Designated Cultural Properties Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009854
- Nogata City Official Website — Art Space Taniwo (currently closed)
- https://www.city.nogata.fukuoka.jp/shisei/_1242/_2795/_2685.html
- Yumenity Nogata — Annex Art Space Taniwo
- https://yumenity.com/pages/112/
- Nogata City Tourism Portal — Art Space Taniwo
- https://nogata-kankoh.com/hangout/676.html
- Nogata Virtual Museum — Former Jushichi Bank Nogata Branch
- http://nogata-virtualmuseum.jp/assets.php?no=185
- Cross Road Fukuoka — Nogata City Museum of Art Annex (Art Space Taniwo)
- https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/spot/10033
Last verified: 2026.04.22