Enjoy the Meiji Romance in Fukushima's retro Western-style architecture [Former Date County Office]!

  • Fukushima
  • Sightseeing
The former Date County Office is recommended for sightseeing in Fukushima. It is a must-visit spot for retro lovers. On November 3 (Fri., holiday), a special event will be held to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the opening of the former Date County Office, offering an experience unique to the town of Kuori!
Left: Entrance to the "Old Date County Office" Right: Staircase inside the building

History of the "Old Date County Office

The former Date County Office was completed in 1883 and was used as the Date County Office for about 43 years until the county office was abolished. In 1977, it was designated as a National Important Cultural Property.

However, it was severely damaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. After restoration work, it reopened on April 1, 2014, but was also damaged by the Fukushima Prefecture earthquakes of 2021 and 2022. Although the building faced many difficulties, it reopened in December 2022 after undergoing not only disaster restoration work due to earthquake damage, but also conservation and repair work, including repainting of the exterior walls.
Second floor

Western-style building with Japanese design

The former Date County Office shows well the architectural features of the early Meiji period. The foundation is paved with hewn stone, and as with other important buildings in Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, the veranda is painted with overhanging clapboard walls. A clapboard wall is a wall that is stretched horizontally so that the top and bottom of the boards slightly overlap each other.

The front of the house is two stories high with a central tower, and the eaves are decorated in the kesho-tarugi style often used in Japanese houses and temples. The eaves are decorated in the kesho-tarugi style, which is often used in Japanese houses, shrines, and temples.

The circular gouged bellows are also a characteristic feature, and are often seen in Western-style architecture. The name "jabara" is derived from the circular, gouged decoration that expands and contracts like the belly of a snake. The windows are all raised windows with glass, another characteristic of Western-style architecture.

The former Date County Office, which has the features and advantages of both Japanese and Western-style architecture, is a uniquely Japanese building.
Exterior view of the "Old Date County Office

Highlights of the museum

Various elements of Western-style architecture can be seen inside the building. The floor is covered with strips of wood, and light pours in through the glass windows. The doors leading to the outside on the first floor and to the veranda on the second floor have round frames, and colorful glass is set into the tops. The rounded lights hanging from the door are full of retro elements. It is as if you have wandered into a fairy tale world.
Colorful glass doors
Lovely lighting
A replica of Japan's first bicycle, the sangen car, is also on display. The one with two wheels is in the front, and like today's bicycles, it transfers power to the wheels by stepping on them with the foot. In fact, Sangen Suzuki, the inventor of the sangen wheel, was born in Yaji Village (now Kuwari Town), Date County.
Replica of "Sangen Car

Special event "Birthday Festival of the Former Date County Office" on November 3 (Fri., national holiday)

The event will be held at the "Old Date County Office" and "Jinya no Mori Park," which is a popular autumn foliage spot, to offer visitors a unique Kuori experience! At the café in the former Date County Office, which features a blend of Japanese and Western Meiji architecture, you can enjoy a menu using ingredients produced in Kuori Town. A special menu will be prepared just for this day! There will also be a marché with local products, so you can buy souvenirs.
Image of the "Birthday Festival of the Former Date County Office
Jinya no Mori Park", a spot for autumn foliage

Travel back in time to the Meiji Era in Fukushima

We introduced the "Former Date County Office," which features a blend of Japanese and Western Meiji architecture. It is fun to take pictures in the photogenic space, but it is even more fascinating to learn about the type of architecture and the period in which it was built. Please visit the former Date County Office and feel the romance of the Meiji period.
For reservations of train + accommodation "Fukushima area", please visit 【 JR East View Dynamic Rail Package 】
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