Ben's House, Western-style residence in Kitano-chō, Japan
Ben's House is a three-story residential structure in Kitano-chō that combines German red brick with Japanese building techniques. The interior rooms display European and Japanese design elements side by side.
The house was built in 1902 during the Meiji period for an American merchant, a time of major change in Japan. Its construction shows how foreigners designed their new homes when settling in the country.
The house shows how Western and Japanese ways of living came together in one space when foreigners arrived and stayed in Japan. The rooms with their furnishings and collections tell the story of life between two cultures.
Access relies on stairs that only visitors who can handle steps can use. Touring the rooms works best during morning hours when fewer people are on site.
A wall made from imported German bricks surrounds the entry area and shows that genuine European materials were used for the building. Such fully imported structures were rare at that time.
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