Sino-Japanese Peace Memorial Museum

Nisshin Kowa Kinenkan: A Memorial to the Treaty That Reshaped East Asia

Standing on a hilltop overlooking the Kanmon Strait in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the Nisshin Kowa Kinenkan (日清講和記念館, Treaty of Shimonoseki Memorial Hall) is a quiet yet powerful testament to one of the most pivotal diplomatic events in modern East Asian history. Built in 1937, this reinforced concrete building preserves the memory of the 1895 Sino-Japanese peace conference and the treaty that concluded the First Sino-Japanese War. Designated as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2011, the memorial hall offers visitors a rare opportunity to stand in the very place where the course of East Asian geopolitics was dramatically altered.

The Historical Background: The First Sino-Japanese War and the Road to Peace

In the summer of 1894, longstanding tensions between Japan and the Qing Dynasty of China over influence on the Korean Peninsula erupted into open conflict. The First Sino-Japanese War, triggered by the Donghak Peasant Revolution in Korea, saw Japanese forces gain decisive victories on both land and sea. By late 1894, the Qing government began to seek peace.

On March 19, 1895, a Qing diplomatic delegation arrived by steamship in the Kanmon Strait. The following day, formal peace negotiations commenced at Shunpanrō (春帆楼), a prestigious restaurant and inn located on this same hillside. Japan's plenipotentiaries were Prime Minister Itō Hirobumi and Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu, while the Qing side was represented by the veteran statesman Li Hongzhang and Li Jingfang. Over the course of seven sessions, the two sides negotiated the terms of peace, and on April 17, 1895, the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed.

The treaty marked a turning point in the balance of power across East Asia, as it formally ended China's longstanding tributary relationship with Korea and reshaped territorial boundaries in the region. Shimonoseki was chosen as the venue for these negotiations due to its strategic location along the strait, which served as a major maritime corridor at that time.

The Memorial Hall: Architecture and Cultural Property Designation

The Nisshin Kowa Kinenkan was constructed between 1935 and 1937 by the city of Shimonoseki in order to preserve and communicate the historical significance of the peace conference to future generations. It opened in June 1937 on land adjacent to Shunpanrō, where the actual negotiations had taken place.

The building itself is a striking example of the Teikan-yōshiki (帝冠様式, Imperial Crown Style), a distinctive Japanese architectural movement of the early Showa period that combined a reinforced concrete structure with traditional Japanese roofing and decorative elements. The hall features an irimoya-zukuri (hip-and-gable) roof covered with traditional hon-kawara tiles, while the exterior showcases stone-clad lower walls, bold pillar forms, and large rectangular windows with iron grilles — elements drawn from Western design.

What sets this building apart are the finely crafted traditional details rendered in concrete: kumimono (bracket complexes) and gegyo (ornamental bargeboard pendants) that lend an air of stately dignity to the facade. These features were recognized as exemplary models of architectural form, and on January 26, 2011, the building was officially registered as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property. It also forms part of the Japan Heritage story "Kanmon Nostalgic Strait," which celebrates the rich cultural landscape shared by Shimonoseki and Kitakyushu.

Remarkably, while the original Shunpanrō building was destroyed during the Shimonoseki air raids of 1945, the memorial hall survived the war intact thanks to its reinforced concrete construction. This fortunate circumstance means that the original furnishings used during the 1895 negotiations have been preserved to this day.

Inside the Memorial Hall: What to See

The interior of the memorial hall is centered around a faithful recreation of the conference room where the peace negotiations took place. Enclosed within glass panels on three sides, the reconstructed room allows visitors to observe the arrangement of the negotiating table and seating positions of the Japanese and Qing delegations.

Among the most remarkable exhibits are the original chairs, reportedly bestowed from Hama-rikyū Palace in Tokyo. These British-made balloon-back chairs, adorned with black lacquer and gold maki-e decoration, were of a caliber reserved for imperial use and foreign dignitaries — chairs of the same design were also used at the Rokumeikan, Japan's famous hall for diplomatic entertainment during the Meiji era.

Other notable items on display include a French-made stove used during the conference sessions, a kusabana-mon maki-e suzuribako (floral-design lacquered inkstone box), ink pots and pens from the era, and photographic records of the conference and its participants. Calligraphic works (iboku) by both Itō Hirobumi and Li Hongzhang are also preserved here, offering a personal connection to the statesmen who shaped the negotiations.

Surrounding the central recreation, the walls feature historical photographs, maps, and explanatory panels that trace the background of the war, the course of the negotiations, and the impact of the resulting treaty. Despite its compact size — the building covers approximately 138 square meters — the museum offers a remarkably rich and concentrated historical experience.

Surrounding Area: A Wealth of History Along the Strait

The Nisshin Kowa Kinenkan is situated within the grounds of Shunpanrō, which continues to operate today as a renowned fugu (pufferfish) restaurant and inn. In 1888, Prime Minister Itō Hirobumi dined on fugu here — an event that led to the lifting of the longtime ban on serving pufferfish, making Shunpanrō the first licensed fugu restaurant in Japan. Visitors can enjoy traditional fugu cuisine while taking in panoramic views of the Kanmon Strait.

Immediately adjacent stands Akama Shrine (赤間神宮), one of Shimonoseki's most iconic landmarks. This Shinto shrine, with its vivid vermilion Suitenmon gate inspired by the legendary Dragon Palace, is dedicated to the child Emperor Antoku, who perished at the age of eight during the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. The shrine grounds include the tombs of the Taira (Heike) clan warriors, the Hōichi-dō hall associated with Lafcadio Hearn's famous ghost story "Mimi-nashi Hōichi" (Hōichi the Earless), and a treasure hall containing Important Cultural Property artifacts.

A short distance away lies the Karato Market area, famous for its fresh seafood and lively weekend sushi market. The Former British Consulate of Shimonoseki, a handsome 1906 building now open as a gallery and restaurant, is also within easy walking distance. Further afield, the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel allows visitors to walk beneath the strait to Mojikō in Kitakyushu, where the retro-era port district offers another rich layer of historical exploration. The Hinoyama Ropeway provides sweeping views of the entire strait area from the mountaintop park above.

Visiting Tips for International Travelers

The Nisshin Kowa Kinenkan is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with no regular closing days. Admission is free, making it an easy and accessible addition to any Shimonoseki itinerary. Signage within the museum is primarily in Japanese, but the visual displays, photographs, and reconstructed conference room convey the historical significance powerfully even without Japanese language ability. Visitors with an interest in the history of international diplomacy and modern East Asian relations will find this museum particularly rewarding.

The building is beautifully illuminated at night (from dusk until 10:00 PM year-round), making it a photogenic destination for evening strolls along the waterfront area as well. Photography is permitted within the museum.

The memorial hall is best accessed by bus from JR Shimonoseki Station: take a Sanden Kōtsū bus toward Chōfu and alight at the Akama Jingū-mae stop (approximately 10 minutes), then walk about 2 minutes uphill. The museum is located within the Shunpanrō grounds, just beside Akama Shrine.