Mitsui Main Building

The Mitsui Main Building is an office structure in the Beaux-Arts style located in the Nihonbashi-Muromachi district of Tokyo, recognized as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The structure rises seven floors above ground with two basement levels, built from steel-reinforced concrete and clad in granite quarried from Ibaraki Prefecture.

The building was completed after the Great Kanto Earthquake and survived World War II bombings largely intact. Following the war, it served as headquarters for the Allied occupation forces until 1947.

The seventh floor hosts the Mitsui Memorial Museum, where visitors can see artworks collected by the Mitsui family across three centuries. The collection includes paintings, ceramics, and crafted objects that reveal the taste and standing of this merchant dynasty.

The building stands near Mitsukoshimae metro station and houses corporate offices along with banking facilities accessible during standard business hours. Visitors planning to see the museum should note it occupies the top floor and maintains separate opening times.

Engineers designed the structure to withstand double the seismic forces experienced during the Great Kanto Earthquake. This precaution made the building one of the most resilient of its time in the Japanese capital.

Location: Nihonbashi-Muromachi

Inception: March 23, 1929

Architects: Trowbridge & Livingston

Official opening: June 15, 1929

Architectural style: Beaux-Arts

Floors above the ground: 7

Floors below the ground: 2

Made from material: steel reinforced concrete

GPS coordinates: 35.68633,139.77278

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27