The Landmark of Moji Port, 1917
The Kitakyushu City Former Osaka Shosen Building (北九州市旧大阪商船) is a shipping company office that became the landmark of Moji Port of 1917 in Minatomachi, Moji Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on June 7, 1999 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a two-storey timber building, partly concrete, with a building area of 670 square metres; registration number 40-0008.
Tatsuno Style Taken toward the Secession
The former Osaka Shosen building in Kitakyushu was built in 1917 for the Osaka Shosen shipping company and is widely loved as the landmark of Moji Port (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It is a two-storey building of timber, partly of concrete.
It is known for pushing the Tatsuno-style free classicism further toward the Secession, and was designed by Kawai Ikuji, a pioneer among Osaka architects (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Now city-owned, it is used as a maritime and events hall.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the exterior facing Moji Port and its Tatsuno style turned toward the Secession (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Kitakyushu City (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to the Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association, it is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, with the Watase Seizo Gallery (adults 100 yen, junior high school pupils and under 50 yen) and a café on the ground floor and an event hall upstairs, about 2 minutes on foot from JR Mojiko Station.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1917 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Who designed it?
- Kawai Ikuji.
- What style is it?
- Tatsuno free classic, toward the Secession.
- Can I visit?
- Yes, daily from 9:00 to 17:00.
- When was the Kitakyushu City Former Osaka Shosen Building registered?
- On June 7, 1999 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Kitakyushu City Former Osaka Shosen Building (北九州市旧大阪商船) |
|---|---|
| Location | 7-18 Minatomachi, Moji Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1999/06/07 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber, partly concrete, 670 m² |
| Owner | Kitakyushu City |
| Public Access | About 2 minutes on foot from JR Mojiko Station (Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association) |
References
- Kitakyushu City Former Osaka Shosen Building (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001148
- Former Osaka Shosen Building (Crossroad Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association, in Japanese)
- https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/spot/13201
Last verified: 2026.10.27