Former Hunter Residence (formerly Located in Kitano Cho,

Former Hunter House: The Largest Surviving Ijinkan in Kobe

Standing within the grounds of the Kobe Oji Zoo in Nada Ward, the Former Hunter House (旧ハンター住宅) is a magnificent Western-style residence dating from the late 19th century. Recognized as the largest surviving ijinkan — a foreign residence — in Kobe, this two-story timber-and-brick mansion offers visitors a rare window into the opulent lifestyle of wealthy foreign residents during the Meiji era. Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1966, the house is an outstanding example of Victorian-era colonial architecture adapted to the Japanese climate, and stands as a testament to the international heritage that shaped the port city of Kobe.

Historical Background

The origins of the Former Hunter House date to around 1889, when a German resident named A. Greppie is believed to have commissioned a British engineer to construct a Western-style home in Kobe. While the exact construction date and original designer remain subjects of scholarly debate — some researchers attribute the design to architect Alexander Nelson Hansel — the building's earliest records appear in a construction filing from 1890.

Around 1907, the house was purchased by Edward Hazlett Hunter, a prominent British-Irish industrialist who had arrived in Japan in 1864 at the age of 21. Hunter relocated the building to a hillside site at Kitano-cho 3-chome in central Kobe, extensively renovating it in the process. A ridge-beam inscription records the date of the reconstruction as May 1907, carried out by master carpenter Shibashima Kichi.

Edward Hazlett Hunter was born in Londonderry, Ireland in 1843. After starting his career at a trading company in Yokohama, he moved to Kobe shortly after the port opened and went on to establish the E.H. Hunter & Company. His most notable achievement was founding the Osaka Iron Works on the banks of the Aji River in Osaka, which later became Hitachi Zosen Corporation, one of Japan's leading shipbuilding companies. He also ventured into steel, precision instruments, rice milling, brick manufacturing, and tobacco. In recognition of his contributions to Japan's modernization, Hunter was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Fifth Class, in 1909 — an extraordinary honor for a foreign national at that time. Hunter's wife, Aiko, was the daughter of an Osaka pharmaceutical merchant and was renowned for her dedication to public welfare, supporting organizations such as the Japan Red Cross and the Kobe Nursery.

After Hunter's death in 1917 at the age of 75, the house passed through several owners. By 1960, there were plans to demolish the building and convert the site into a traditional Japanese inn. A preservation campaign by scholars, architects, and citizens led Hyogo Prefecture to acquire the property, and in 1963 the house was carefully dismantled and reassembled at its current location within Oji Park. The street in Kitano where the house once stood is still known as Hunter-zaka (Hunter Slope) in memory of its former resident.

Designation as an Important Cultural Property

The Former Hunter House was designated as a national Important Cultural Property on June 11, 1966. The official assessment praised the residence as one of the finest surviving examples of Meiji-period Western-style domestic architecture. In particular, the designation recognizes the house as an excellent specimen of British Victorian colonial design faithfully interpreted in Japan, noting its exceptional craftsmanship and the detailed attention paid to both its exterior ornamentation and interior appointments. The building is also valued as a primary source for understanding how affluent foreign residents lived in treaty-port Kobe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The house was further honored in 1984 when it was selected as the design for a commemorative postage stamp in the "Modern Western-Style Architecture Series" issued by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.

Architectural Highlights

The Former Hunter House is a timber-framed brick structure (木骨煉瓦造) of two stories with a three-story tower section. The hip roof was among the earliest in Japan to employ asbestos slate tiles, and the ceiling structure follows Western-style framing techniques. The foundation is stone, and the exterior walls are finished in combed mortar rendering.

One of the building's most distinctive features is the double-height colonnade veranda (コロネード・ベランダ) that wraps around the south and east facades. Above the projecting bays, triangular pediments crowned with decorative ridge ornaments and arabesque motifs add visual richness to the roofline. The verandas were originally open to the elements, but Hunter had them enclosed with glass windows set in elegant diamond-lattice frames — a practical adaptation to Japan's rainy climate that simultaneously created one of the house's most memorable visual effects, as sunlight filters through the geometric patterns to fill the interior galleries with light.

Inside, the first floor comprises an entrance hall, a study, a dining room, and drawing rooms. Doorways are topped with broken pediment moldings, and each reception room features a marble mantelpiece. The floors are laid with teak, and the rooms are illuminated by bronze chandeliers that evoke the grandeur of the Victorian era. On the staircase landing, stained-glass windows imported from England cast jewel-toned light into the interior, creating an atmosphere of understated elegance.

The total floor area is approximately 564 square meters: 263 square meters on the first floor, 278 square meters on the second floor, and 23 square meters in the tower.

Earthquake Damage and Restoration

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of January 17, 1995, inflicted serious damage on the Former Hunter House. One of the two brick chimneys snapped and crashed through the roof into the interior, causing the eastern veranda to collapse. A painstaking restoration project followed: the fallen veranda was dismantled, repaired, and reassembled; the chimney was rebuilt; and both the interior and exterior wall surfaces were replastered. The careful work ensured that the building retained its historic character while meeting modern conservation standards.

Current Status and Future Relocation to Kitano

The interior of the Former Hunter House was open to the public for over six decades, from 1964 until December 28, 2025, when general admission ended in preparation for a comprehensive seismic retrofit. The retrofit will involve a complete disassembly of the structure, and Kobe City is planning to relocate the rebuilt house to the Kitano district — bringing it back to the neighborhood where it stood for much of its history. The proposed new site is the grounds of the Former Yamaguchi Residence in Kitano-cho 1-chome, a property acquired by the city in 2023 for cultural heritage preservation. Although the Cultural Property Protection Council has expressed the view that relocation of Important Cultural Properties should generally be avoided, it has given conditional approval to the plan, provided that the seismic work is completed properly and the cultural environment of the Yamaguchi residence site is preserved.

Visitor Information

As of early 2026, the Former Hunter House is closed for seismic reinforcement work. The exterior was viewable through approximately the spring of 2026, but visitors should check the latest status with Kobe City or the Oji Zoo before planning a visit. Prior to closure, the building was located within the Kobe Oji Zoo, and interior viewing was free of charge with zoo admission (600 yen for adults). The interior was typically open in April, May, and October daily (except Wednesdays), and on weekends and public holidays in March, June, July, September, November, and December.

The Oji Zoo is accessible on foot from Hankyu Oji Koen Station (about 8 minutes), JR Nada Station (about 9 minutes), or Hanshin Iwaya Station (about 17 minutes). Parking is available at the Oji Park parking facility.

Surrounding Attractions

The Former Hunter House is well situated for visitors exploring Kobe's rich cultural landscape. Nearby destinations include:

• Kobe Oji Zoo: A beloved city zoo home to giant pandas, koalas, and a wide variety of animals, set against the backdrop of the Rokko mountain range.
• Kitano Ijinkan District: The historic foreign settlement area in central Kobe, about 2 kilometers to the west, featuring over a dozen preserved Western-style mansions open to the public, including the Weathercock House (Kazamidori no Yakata) and Moegi no Yakata, both designated as Important Cultural Properties.
• Nunobiki Falls: One of Japan's celebrated waterfalls, located a short hike from Shin-Kobe Station, offering a refreshing natural escape within the city.
• Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens: Accessible by ropeway from Shin-Kobe, these hillside gardens offer panoramic views of the city and harbor along with seasonal flowers and herbs.
• Sorakuen Garden: A traditional Japanese garden in the city center, featuring an Important Cultural Property stable building and a serene landscape for quiet contemplation.