Former Kamakura Library

The Former Kamakura Library: A Story of Philanthropy, Preservation, and Rebirth

Tucked away on the east side of Kamakura City Hall in the quiet Onari-machi district, the Former Kamakura Library (旧鎌倉図書館) stands as one of the most endearing architectural treasures from the early Showa era. Built in 1936 through the generous bequest of banker and philanthropist Majima Otohiko, this two-story wooden building embodies the spirit of post-earthquake reconstruction and the deep cultural aspirations of a community determined to rebuild its intellectual life. Registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property in August 2024, the former library continues to serve the community in a new role while preserving the architectural charm that has enchanted residents for nearly nine decades.

Historical Background: From Earthquake Ruins to a Gift of Knowledge

The story of the Former Kamakura Library begins with devastation. The original Kamakura Library, founded in 1911 on the grounds of what is now Kamakura Municipal Daiichi Elementary School, was completely destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. The loss was deeply felt by the literary and cultural community that had made Kamakura their home.

Majima Otohiko (1871–1928), a distinguished banker at Mitsui Bank and alumnus of Aoyama Gakuin (then Tokyo Eiwa Gakko), was a committed philanthropist who supported educational institutions throughout his life. When he learned that the Kamakura Library lay in ruins, he resolved to contribute to its rebuilding. Though Majima passed away in 1928 before seeing the project realized, his wife Aiko honored his wishes and provided the funds for construction. The new library opened on October 1, 1936, on the grounds of the Onari Elementary School — a site historically connected to the former Kamakura Imperial Villa.

Majima's philanthropic legacy extended beyond Kamakura. His widow also funded the construction of the Majima Memorial Library at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, which was completed in 1929 and similarly registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2008. Both libraries stand as monuments to a couple's shared devotion to learning and community enrichment.

Why It Was Designated: Architectural and Historical Significance

The Former Kamakura Library was registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (国登録有形文化財) on August 15, 2024, and subsequently designated as a Kamakura City Landscape Important Building on December 25, 2024. The designation recognizes several key attributes of the building.

First, the structure is valued as a representative example of early Showa-period architecture in Kamakura's central district, vividly illustrating the post-earthquake reconstruction efforts. Its blend of modern Western design with subtle Japanese aesthetic elements creates what experts describe as a "simple Japanese-Western eclectic design" (和洋折衷意匠) characteristic of an era when Japan was actively absorbing international architectural influences while maintaining its own traditions.

Second, the building retains the essential exterior form and structural characteristics of its original 1936 construction, despite undergoing renovation in 2023. The renovation work was carefully executed to restore the building's original appearance while adding necessary structural reinforcement, making it a successful case of heritage preservation through adaptive reuse.

Architectural Highlights: Where Art Deco Meets Japanese Tradition

The Former Kamakura Library is a masterful exercise in understated elegance. The two-story wooden building faces south and features several distinctive architectural elements that reward careful observation.

The exterior is characterized by continuous pilaster-like columns spanning both floors, lending the facade a sense of vertical proportion. The building makes extensive use of tall, narrow windows — a design choice that maximizes natural light for reading while creating a rhythmic pattern across the facade. The lower portion of the walls is clad in distinctive celadon-glazed scratch tiles (緑青釉薬スクラッチタイル), their green-tinged surface adding a subtle touch of color that harmonizes beautifully with the surrounding vegetation.

Perhaps the most striking feature is the large gabled roof covered in traditional Japanese san-gawara tiles, adorned with ornamental bargeboard pendants called gegyo (懸魚) — a decorative element borrowed from traditional Japanese temple and shrine architecture. This combination of a modern Western building silhouette with unmistakably Japanese roofing creates the building's signature Japanese-Western hybrid character.

Inside, the staircase pillars feature Art Deco-inspired ornamentation, reflecting the global design movement that was at its height during the 1930s. The building employs a Western-style king post truss roof structure (キングポスト・トラス), while the exterior walls use a rishin kakiotoshi (リシンかき落とし) plaster finish with partial scratch tile accents — techniques that demonstrate the sophisticated construction methods of the era.

A Building Saved by Its Community

The Former Kamakura Library's survival is itself a remarkable story. After the Kamakura Central Library relocated to a new building in 1974, the old library building served various municipal functions, including use as a branch office of city hall. By 2014, the city government had planned to demolish the aging structure due to deterioration.

However, a passionate campaign by local citizen groups, including "Library and Friends, Kamakura" (図書館とともだち・鎌倉) and "Kamakura Bunka no Mori" (鎌倉・文化の森), successfully reversed the demolition decision. The groups argued for the building's historical and cultural significance, and their advocacy ultimately led the city to pursue renovation instead.

The renovation project, which began in 2018 and was completed in March 2023, proved more challenging than anticipated when structural deterioration was found to be more extensive than initial surveys had indicated. The total project cost grew to approximately 391 million yen, but the result was a carefully restored building that faithfully reproduced its original 1936 exterior appearance while meeting modern safety standards. Today, the building serves as "Houkago Kamakura-kko Onari," an after-school children's facility, continuing a tradition of community service in a new form.

Visitor Information

The Former Kamakura Library is located at 18-35 Onari-machi, Kamakura City, on the east side of Kamakura City Hall. The building is currently used as an after-school children's facility and is not generally open to the public for interior viewing. However, the exterior can be appreciated from the surrounding area at any time, and an explanatory signboard has been installed to help visitors understand the building's history and cultural significance.

Local citizen groups have petitioned the city to establish public viewing days approximately twice a year, so visitors planning a trip should check the latest information from Kamakura City's cultural properties division. The building is easily accessible from JR Kamakura Station's west exit, approximately a 5-minute walk along the charming Onari-dori shopping street.

Surrounding Attractions

The Former Kamakura Library is ideally situated for exploring Kamakura's rich architectural and cultural heritage. The Onari-machi district offers a wonderful alternative to the crowded tourist areas on the east side of Kamakura Station.

• Onari-dori Shopping Street: A charming street lined with artisanal bakeries, independent cafés, craft shops, and galleries, representing the quieter, more residential side of Kamakura. The famous Starbucks Kamakura Onari-machi branch, located on the former site of manga artist Yokoyama Ryuichi's residence, features a unique garden setting.
• Kamakura Municipal Onari Elementary School Auditorium: Another National Registered Tangible Cultural Property from the early Showa period, located adjacent to the former library on the same historic grounds of the former Kamakura Imperial Villa.
• Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine: Kamakura's most iconic Shinto shrine, approximately a 10-minute walk to the east, where the former Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art (now the Kamakura Bunkakan Tsurugaoka Museum) designed by acclaimed architect Sakakura Junzo also stands.
• Kamakura Literature Museum (Kamakura Bungakukan): Housed in the former Marquis Maeda family villa, another National Registered Tangible Cultural Property, featuring exhibits on Kamakura's rich literary heritage. Accessible by Enoden Railway from nearby Hase Station.
• Sasuke Inari Shrine: A mystical hillside shrine famous for its rows of small red torii gates, located a short walk to the west.