Sumitomo Building, Office building in Kitahama, Japan.
Sumitomo Building is an office structure in Kitahama, completed in 1926 and combining Western and Japanese design elements. The structure displays a clear, dignified facade with details reflecting both tradition and economic stability.
The building was designed in 1926 during the late Taisho period by three prominent architects, reflecting Japan's emergence as a modern economic power. After nearly a century in its original function, it stands as evidence of the period when Osaka built its financial network.
The building reflects how Japanese financial institutions wanted to present themselves in the 1920s through solid, dignified architecture. Walking past it today, you can sense how such structures became symbols of economic confidence and modernity for the city.
The building sits just one minute on foot from Yodoyabashi Station on the Midosuji Line or three minutes from Higobashi Station, making it easy to visit. Since it functions as an active office building, the interior is not open to the public.
The building was designed by a trio of architects - Yutaka Hidaka, Eikichi Hasebe, and Kenzō Takekoshi - an unusual collaborative approach for its era. This shared design process remains poorly documented today, yet it shows an early example of architectural teamwork in Japan.
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