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The Mainichi

Retro Japan: Stately former Yamaguchi Pref. Assembly hall survives test of time

YAMAGUCHI -- More than a century after its construction, the stately former Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly building, built primarily in the late Renaissance style, now serves as a parliamentary archive, having survived demolition plans in the 1960s. Completed in 1916, the building incorporates touches of Japanese and other Eastern elements alongside European influences, and the structure's unique aesthetic is evident throughout. The assembly hall's seating is arranged in a fan shape around the speaker's seat. The dignified interior, which use materials like Japanese cypress and maple, features a plaster ceiling accented with wooden frames for contrast. The building was designed by Yorinaka Tsumaki (1859-1916) and Yoshikuni Okuma (1877-1952), then Finance Ministry bureaucrats in charge of building and repairs who were also involved in the construction of National Diet Building, along with Goichi Takeda (1872-1938), a professor at Kyoto Craft High School at the time. It features brickwork and also incorporates geometric patterns that were popular in Europe at the time. Each room, including the governor's office on the second floor, features a different ceiling and wallpaper design. The stripes, waves and embossed patterns on the wallpaper in the governor's reception room were modern motifs of the era. In 1965, plans were made to demolish the building due to deterioration and repeated typhoon damage. However, a preservation movement led by local residents successfully halted these plans. In 1984, the building was designated as an important cultural property of Japan. Serving as a parliamentary archive today, it is open to the public as a venue for concerts and lectures. (Japanese original by Minoru Kanazawa, Kyushu Photo and Video Department) * * * The Japanese version of this article was originally published on April 9, 2023. * * * This series explores Japan's architectural wonders and secrets of yesteryear. Read more Retro Japan articles here.