バンドホテル, Hotel in Japan
Band Hotel was a lodging in Yokohama situated on the coastal road with direct views of the harbor. The building was reconstructed in 1959 as a seven-story reinforced concrete structure that included dance halls and nightclubs in its upper floors.
The building was originally constructed in the Taisho era as a two-story wooden structure for foreign guests. During World War II it served as a German military hotel, and after the war it housed American journalists before reopening in 1956.
The hotel's name referred to the harbor view and ships passing by, making it a symbol of Yokohama's port character. It served as a gathering place where Japanese and foreign visitors mingled, reflecting the city's cosmopolitan atmosphere during different historical periods.
The hotel was previously accessible on foot from the harbor and shopping streets nearby. Since addressing systems changed in some regions, it helps to ask locals for directions or use digital maps when seeking historical locations.
The hotel gained fame from 1968 onward for its nightclub called Shellroom, where celebrities and notable figures gathered. In 1982, a music venue named Shell Garden opened and became central to the local music scene, hosting performing artists.
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