About the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building
The Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building (旧サッポロビール九州工場事務所棟, Kyū Sapporo Bīru Kyūshū Kōjō Jimushotō) is a two-storey brick office built in 1913 in Dairihonmachi, Moji Ward, Kitakyushu City, and entered on Japan's register of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on July 31, 2007. It went up together with the Teikoku Beer brewery and has since been opened to the public as the Moji Beer Brick Museum (門司麦酒煉瓦館, Moji Bakushu Renga-kan).
The building stands on the east side of National Route 199 along the Kanmon Straits and faces west onto the road. It measures 19 m by 14 m, has a sheet-metal roof and a building area of 232 m². The Moji Red Brick Club names Hayashi Eijirō as its architect.
Why the Office Building Matters
What sets the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building apart is its brick. The walls are laid in slag brick (鉱滓煉瓦, kōsai renga), made from the waste left by iron smelting. Kitakyushu City notes that these bricks were produced without a firing stage, and the result is a muted grey-brown rather than the familiar red.
The city describes the office as one of the few surviving slag-brick buildings and points to a design close to the German Gothic. The Moji Red Brick Club goes further, calling it one of the earliest slag-brick buildings in Japan and the oldest surviving full-scale example. That last claim is the club's own; the Agency for Cultural Affairs does not make it.
The office was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape. Besides the slag brick, the Agency highlights the care taken over its details.
The Facade and Interiors
Seen from the highway, the centre of the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building pushes forward and rises above the rest like a small tower, with the entrance at its foot. Both floors are laid out symmetrically on either side, so the eye is drawn straight to the middle. The two official descriptions differ on how high that central section goes: the Agency for Cultural Affairs says it rises to the height of a third storey, while Kitakyushu City says two.
Inside, each room was given its own ceiling and cornice profile, wall decoration and fireplace treatment. According to the city, the ceilings are lined throughout with pressed metal panels. For a factory office, the fitting-out is unusually elaborate.
The figures for its size also vary. The Agency gives a building area of 232 m², the Moji Red Brick Club about 210.74 m². This article follows the Agency.
Renovation and Visiting the Office Building
Kitakyushu City owns the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building, which long ran as the municipal Moji Beer Brick Museum. It closed on April 1, 2025 for work inside and out, including the removal of metal netting that had been fixed over the walls to catch falling pieces and of temporary supports at the entrance, and reopened on May 18, 2026.
Since reopening, the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building has been run by a private company that leases it from the city, and it now houses a photo studio, a gallery for local residents and a meeting space. The operator's announcement gives the studio's hours as 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., closed on Tuesdays. We could not confirm if the earlier beer history displays remain, nor how much of the interior visitors can see, so contact the operator before going (checked October 2026).
The exterior can be seen at any time. Stand on the far side of Route 199 to take in the tower and the matched rows of windows in one view. With the netting gone, the colour of the slag brick reads much more clearly than before.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukuoka
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building
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Q&A
- When was the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building built?
- In 1913, the same year the Teikoku Beer brewery at Moji was completed. It was built as the plant's office.
- Why is the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building not red brick?
- It is built of slag brick, made from smelting waste. Kitakyushu City says these bricks were made without firing, which gives them a grey-brown colour.
- Is the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building the same as the Moji Beer Brick Museum?
- Yes. After Kitakyushu City took it over, the building was opened under the name Moji Beer Brick Museum (Moji Bakushu Renga-kan).
- Can I go inside the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building?
- It reopened on May 18, 2026 after renovation and now houses a photo studio and gallery. We could not confirm what visitors can see inside, so check with the operator first (checked October 2026).
- When did the Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building become a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- On July 31, 2007, under registration number 40-0046, as a structure contributing to the historic landscape.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building (旧サッポロビール九州工場事務所棟; Moji Beer Brick Museum) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-6-104 Dairihonmachi, Moji Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2007 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 232 m², 19 m by 14 m (brick, 2 storeys with a tower, sheet-metal roof) |
| Owner | Kitakyushu City |
| Public Access | Exterior freely visible. Interior used as a facility run by a private operator (check what can be seen) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006284
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/142048
- Kitakyushu City: Former Sapporo Beer Kyushu Factory Office Building (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/contents/02100275.html
- Kitakyushu City: Moji Beer Brick Museum (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/contents/06300102.html
- Moji Red Brick Place: Facilities (Japanese)
- https://mojirenga.jp/place.html
- Spina Co., Ltd.: Renewal of the Moji Beer Brick Museum, May 13, 2026 (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.nishitetsu.co.jp/ja/news/news20260513/main/0/link/26_012.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
