★★★★★ 5.0
Discover
Okuno Building
Ninety-three years! That's how long this incredible time machine has been standing right here in Ginza, and wow, do I have some amazing secrets to share with you! You're looking at the Okuno Building, and here's something WILD - it's actually two buildings stuck together like giant LEGO blocks, built in 1932 and 1934. This place survived World War Two bombs when almost every other building in Tokyo got blown up! Inside, you can still ride Japan's very FIRST private apartment elevator that you have to open and close yourself - just like a treasure chest door. The coolest part? Room 306 upstairs was once a beauty salon where a lady lived for SEVENTY years until she was 100 years old! Can you imagine living in the same room for your entire lifetime times seven? Look for those narrow, shadowy hallways inside where windows peek through from one building into the other - it's like a secret maze that connects two time periods together!
Did You Know?
- The Okuno Building is a rare survivor of Tokyo’s early Shōwa era, originally constructed in 1932 as luxury apartments (then called 'Ginza Apartments') and later expanded in 1934—uniquely, it was designed with reinforced concrete to be earthquake-resistant, a direct response to the devastating Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923, and it even survived the World War II bombing of Tokyo, making it a living monument to the city’s resilience.
- The building is famous for its manually operated elevator doors, one of the very few remaining in Tokyo; while the elevator itself has been replaced for safety, the original manual doors and Art Deco-style floor indicator plaques remain, offering visitors a hands-on, nostalgic experience that transports them back to pre-war Tokyo—children and families especially delight in operating these vintage mechanisms themselves.
- Apart from its architectural charm, the Okuno Building is a cultural hub housing dozens of art galleries, antique shops, and private offices, but Room 306 holds a special place: once a 1930s beauty salon and later the home of its owner until her death at age 100, it is now preserved as the 'Room 306 Project,' where members share the space for creative activities, maintaining its original ambiance and creating a living timeline that bridges past and present—a hidden gem for those interested in Tokyo’s layered history.