Nippon Yusen Former Otaru Branch
The former Otaru branch of Nippon Yusen Kaisha, with its luxurious appearance, hints at Otaru's prosperity during the Meiji period. Built in October 1906 by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, it remains a core company of the Mitsubishi Group. As one of Japan's three major shipping companies, it was well known overseas and remains the representative of Japanese shipping today. At the time, Otaru was the base for the national Hokkaido development project, and was expanding its commercial port functions with connections to Europe. At the same time, financial institutions and trading companies were expanding into the area, earning it the nickname "Wall Street of the North," and many buildings were constructed incorporating the finest techniques by top architects. This building symbolizes the heyday of Otaru's development.
It is a two-story stone building in the European Renaissance style, and the VIP room inside is an extravagant and luxurious space with plaster ceilings and chandeliers, crimson curtains, parquet floors and a striking carpet with a large floral pattern, and walls covered in gold leather paper with a chrysanthemum crest, which is said to have been extremely difficult to restore.Gold leather paper is a traditional Japanese craft that was created based on "golden leather," a leather craft invented in Europe during the Renaissance, and attracted great interest in Europe when it was exhibited at the Vienna World Exposition, and is now exported.
