The Ueno Building Former Analysis Room
The Ueno Building (Former Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha Wakamatsu Branch) Former Analysis Room (上野ビル（旧三菱合資会社若松支店）旧分析室, Ueno Biru Kyū Bunsekishitsu) is a single-storey timber building in Honmachi, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture; built in 1913, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 29, 2013. The Wakamatsu branch of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha used it to analyze the quality of the coal it traded.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room stands north of the Warehouse Building and faces east. It covers 119 square meters under a tiled Kirizuma-zukuri gable roof and is the only timber structure among the four registered parts of the Ueno Building.
Why the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room Was Registered
The Ueno Building Former Analysis Room is registration number 40-0083, registered as a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives most weight to its purpose: this is where coal was tested, and so it is the building that most clearly marks the site as a coal company's local office. An office and a warehouse could belong to any trading branch; a laboratory for grading coal could not.
Its construction also counts. Although timber-framed, the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room was given ōkabe walls that hide the posts, so that it would match the brick buildings around it. Kitakyushu City puts it simply: no posts can be seen from outside. The windows are tall and narrow like those of the Main Building and the warehouse, and the lower walls are faced with scratch tile. Each choice helps a small wooden building sit comfortably within a brick compound.
What to Look For at the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room
Start with the walls of the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room. Because no posts show on the surface, from a few steps away they read as flat masonry, much like the brick buildings beside them, and the tall windows complete the effect.
Then lower your eyes to the tiled dado. The national database calls it scratch tile, while the city simply says tile. Scratch tile has fine grooves raked into its face, so its shading shifts with the light. Set at window-sill height, it is close enough to see which way the grooves run.
Compare it with the Warehouse Building to the south. Both face east under gable roofs, but one is two storeys of brick and the other a single storey of timber. With the orientation and window shapes matched, the difference shows in the thickness and height of the walls.
Seeing the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room
No opening of the interior of the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room is announced, and the owners' website says nothing about its present use. Assume it cannot be entered.
The Ueno Building Former Analysis Room stands north of the warehouse, toward the back of the site as seen from the Main Building. The owners publish nothing about walking through the grounds, so if you want a closer look, check with Ueno Kaiun first. The official website allows personal, hobby photography without permission (as of October 2026). Directions are on the Ueno Building group page.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ueno Building (Former Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha Wakamatsu Branch) Former Analysis Room
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Q&A
- What was the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room used for?
- The Wakamatsu branch of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha used it to analyze the quality of coal. The Agency for Cultural Affairs sees it as the building that marks the site as a coal company's local office.
- When was the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room built and registered?
- It was built in 1913 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 29, 2013, as registration number 40-0083.
- Why does the timber Ueno Building Former Analysis Room look like a masonry building?
- Its walls are ōkabe, with the posts hidden inside, to match the surrounding brick buildings. Its tall windows also follow those of the Main Building and the warehouse.
- What finish is on the walls of the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room?
- The lower walls are tiled; the national database calls the tiles scratch tile, which has grooves raked into its face and changes in shading with the light.
- Can I go inside the Ueno Building Former Analysis Room?
- No opening of the interior is announced. It also stands toward the back of the site, so ask Ueno Kaiun before approaching for a closer look.
Basic Information
| Name | Ueno Building (Former Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha Wakamatsu Branch) Former Analysis Room (上野ビル（旧三菱合資会社若松支店）旧分析室) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-14-1 Honmachi and other lots, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered March 29, 2013 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 119 square meters |
| Owner | Linker Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | No interior opening announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Ueno Building Former Analysis Room
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009540
- Cultural Heritage Online: Ueno Building Former Analysis Room
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/273253
- Kitakyushu City: Ueno Building Former Analysis Room (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/contents/02101060_00002.html
- Ueno Building official website (Ueno Kaiun): Short-Term Use and Photography (Japanese)
- https://ueno-building.com/short.html
Last verified: 2026.10.15
