Ryounkaku
Encyclopedia
The was Japan
's first western-style skyscraper. It stood in the Asakusa
district of Tokyo
from 1890 until its demolition following the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923. The , as it was called affectionately by Tokyoites, was the most popular attraction in Tokyo, and a showcase for new technologies as it housed Japan's first electric elevator
.
in the late 1880s, not long after his arrival in Japan. It was a 225 feet (68.6 m) tower, made from red bricks over a wood frame in renaissance revival style. The twelve floors all had electric lighting. The two electric elevators were designed by Ichisuke Fujioka, a founder of Toshiba
, and served from the first to the eight floor, with a ten-person capacity each, however they were shut down only half a year after the opening of the tower for safety reasons.
. Many artistic and cultural events were held in the Ryōunkaku, including Western music concerts, geisha
photograph exhibitions, beauty contests etc. Famous was the store where wood-block prints were made for Sugoroku
, a popular Japanese board game.
, Kitahara Hakushu
, and Kaneko Mitsuharu. The opening of the edifice was commemorated in Ogawa Kazumasa
's most famous works, Types of Japan, Celebrated Geysha of Tokyo in Collotype and From Photographic Negatives Taken by Him published around 1892.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's first western-style skyscraper. It stood in the Asakusa
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
district of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
from 1890 until its demolition following the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923. The , as it was called affectionately by Tokyoites, was the most popular attraction in Tokyo, and a showcase for new technologies as it housed Japan's first electric elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
.
History
The Ryōunkaku quickly became a landmark and symbol of Asakusa after its opening in 1890. It was a major leisure complex for visitors from all over Tokyo. The 1894 tremor weakened the structure, which was now reinforced with steel girders. However the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923 destroyed the upper floors, and damaged the whole tower so severely that it had to be completely demolished.Architecture and technology
The Ryōunkaku was designed by the Scottish engineer W. K. BurtonW. K. Burton
William Kinnimond Burton was a British engineer, photographer and photography writer, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, who lived most of his career in Meiji period Japan.-Early life:...
in the late 1880s, not long after his arrival in Japan. It was a 225 feet (68.6 m) tower, made from red bricks over a wood frame in renaissance revival style. The twelve floors all had electric lighting. The two electric elevators were designed by Ichisuke Fujioka, a founder of Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
, and served from the first to the eight floor, with a ten-person capacity each, however they were shut down only half a year after the opening of the tower for safety reasons.
Building uses
The Ryōunkaku on the second through seventh floors held forty-six stores selling goods from around the world. A lounge was on the eighth floor, and art exhibitions were held on the ninth floor, while the tenth through twelfth were observation decks. From there , all of Tokyo could be seen and on a clear day also Mount FujiMount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
. Many artistic and cultural events were held in the Ryōunkaku, including Western music concerts, geisha
Geisha
, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.-Terms:...
photograph exhibitions, beauty contests etc. Famous was the store where wood-block prints were made for Sugoroku
Sugoroku
refers to two different forms of Japanese board game, one similar to western backgammon and the other similar to western Snakes and ladders.Sugoroku plays identically to backgammon , except for the following differences:...
, a popular Japanese board game.
The Ryōunkaku in literature
The Ryōunkaku's fame spread as it appeared in the literary works of contemporary authors such as Ishikawa TakubokuIshikawa Takuboku
was a Japanese poet. He died of tuberculosis. Well known as both a tanka and 'modern-style' or 'free-style' poet, he began as a member of the Myōjō group of naturalist poets but later joined the "socialistic" group of Japanese poets and renounced naturalism.-Major works:His major works were two...
, Kitahara Hakushu
Kitahara Hakushu
is the pen-name of ', a Japanese tanka poet active during the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. He is regarded as one of the most popular and important poets in modern Japanese literature.-Early life:...
, and Kaneko Mitsuharu. The opening of the edifice was commemorated in Ogawa Kazumasa
Ogawa Kazumasa
, also known as Ogawa Kazuma or Ogawa Isshin, was a Japanese photographer, printer and publisher who was a pioneer in photomechanical printing and photography in the Meiji era.Ogawa was born in Saitama to the Matsudaira samurai clan...
's most famous works, Types of Japan, Celebrated Geysha of Tokyo in Collotype and From Photographic Negatives Taken by Him published around 1892.
Trivia
- To celebrate the sunrise on the New Year's Day in 1891, balloons with telephone tickets and tower tickets were released in the sky from the Ryōunkaku top floor. However only one person succeeded in getting one ticket, as all the other tickets were torn up when people scrambled for them.
- The billboard in front of the tower advertised Jintan, a breath mint product still sold in Japan.
- There is a replica of the Ryōunkaku in the Edo-Tokyo MuseumEdo-Tokyo MuseumThe is a museum of the history of Tokyo, established in 1993. The main features of the permanent exhibitions are the life-size replica of the Nihonbashi, which was the bridge leading into Edo; the Nakamuraza theatre; scale models of town; and buildings from the Edo, Meiji and Shōwa periods.The...
.
External links
- Panoramic View from Observation Deck of Ryōunkaku
- http://www.oldtokyo.com/asakusa-ryounkaku.html
- http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=385972