Ōzu Redbrick Hall, Bank building in Ōzu, Japan.
The Ōzu Redbrick Hall is a bank building in Ōzu that combines English red bricks with Japanese roof tiles and features traditional demon figures at its perimeter. The two-story structure uses the first floor for a souvenir shop selling local ceramics and the second floor for a café with views.
The building opened in December 1901 as the headquarters of the Ozu Commercial Bank during a period when the city prospered from wax and silk production. This time marked a phase when Japanese businesses adopted Western architecture to display modernity and wealth.
The building shows how Western construction methods and Japanese design elements came together to create a new architectural style that reflected Japan's openness to foreign influence at the time. Visitors can see this blend in every detail, from the red bricks to the traditional roof tiles.
The first floor is open to visitors during business hours and offers a shop with local products and handmade items. The café on the second floor provides a nice spot to rest with a view of the surroundings, making it worthwhile to explore both levels.
The decorative demon figures on the roof tiles at the building's corners are not just ornamental but traditionally serve to ward off evil spirits in Japanese belief. This traditional protective measure was retained in a modern bank building from the early 1900s, showing how old beliefs merged with new architecture.
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