A Post-War Apartment Block in Old Hakata
The Reizenso (Former Yagi Apartments) (冷泉荘（旧八木アパート）) is an apartment building of 1958 in Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 3, 2024 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a reinforced concrete building of 5 storeys and a basement with a rooftop tower and a building area of 211 square metres, renovated in 2011; registration number 40-0229.
An Apartment Block Near Kushida Shrine
Reizenso is an apartment building northwest of Kushida Shrine, facing north onto a lane (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Its walls are finished in brushed mortar; the flats are arranged either side of a stairwell, and the upper floors step back to form terraces. The southeast part of the ground floor was once a shared bathhouse for residents.
According to a town-planning column published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the owner, Yoshihara Jutaku, began reviving the whole building in 2006. Artists took on its 20 rooms and reworked them themselves, turning former flats into offices and studios.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape, as a rare privately built apartment block from the post-war reconstruction years surviving in old Hakata.
What to Look For
Notice how the upper floors step back into terraces, the brushed-mortar walls, and the former bathhouse at the southeast corner of the ground floor (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The building is occupied by tenants, and no official information on interior visits was found. The exterior can be seen from the lane.
Q&A
- When was Reizenso built?
- In 1958 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is Reizenso?
- In Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata, northwest of Kushida Shrine.
- What is special about Reizenso?
- A privately built post-war apartment block with stepped terraces and a former bathhouse.
- How is Reizenso used today?
- After its revival, artists use the rooms as offices and studios.
- When was the Reizenso (Former Yagi Apartments) registered?
- On December 3, 2024 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Reizenso (Former Yagi Apartments) (冷泉荘（旧八木アパート）) |
|---|---|
| Location | 130-1 Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2024/12/03 (Reiwa 6) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, 5 storeys and basement, rooftop tower, 211 m² |
| Owner | Yoshihara Jutaku Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Occupied building (no visiting information) |
References
- Reizenso (Former Yagi Apartments) (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00015264
- Vintage buildings aiming for 100 years (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry town-planning column, Japanese)
- https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/sme_chiiki/town_planning/machigenki/column/03_yoshihara.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.15