Opened in 1930, the Ohara Museum of Art celebrates its 95th anniversary this year (2025).
On November 5, 2025, the museum’s anniversary, a commemorative lecture titled “Modern Kurashiki Seen Through Bank Architecture” was held in Room 2 of the Ohara Museum of Art’s Main Building.
Here is a report on the lecture, which focused on “bank architecture” by Kazue Yakushiji, the architect behind the Ohara Museum of Art’s Main Building.
The information presented was current when this article was published in December 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Lecture Overview
The lecture was held in two parts, focusing on two bank buildings: the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery at the Ohara Museum of Art (formerly the Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch) and the former Chugoku Bank Head Office.
- The history of bank architecture
- The history of the Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch
The Ohara Museum of Art’s Main Building, where the event was held, is also known as one of Kazue Yakushiji’s signature works.
The Ohara Museum of Art and Daiichi Godo Bank, one of the predecessors of Chugoku Bank, were both founded by Ohara Magosaburo. This connection led to a collaborative lecture by the Ohara Museum of Art and Chugoku Bank.
About the Speakers
The keynote speaker was Professor Emeritus Yasutsugu Ueda of Notre Dame Seishin University.
Professor Ueda is a leading authority on Yakushiji and has written numerous related books. At this lecture, he also shared some of the findings from his many years of research.
The guest speaker was Satoshi Kiyota, manager of the Kurashiki Branch of Chugoku Bank, Inc., who spoke about the history of Chugoku Bank and the Kurashiki Honmachi Branch.
Kazue Yakushiji, the Architect Appointed by the Emperor
Kazue Yakushiji was born in 1884 in what is now Soja City. After graduating from the Department of Architecture at Tokyo Imperial University’s College of Engineering, he worked as an architectural engineer for the Ministry of the Army.
Since many Army facilities at the time were simple structures, he traveled to Europe and the United States from 1921 to 1923 to inspect modern military facilities.
Ohara Magosaburo helped cover part of the travel expenses, and in addition to inspecting military facilities, Yakushiji also visited leading-edge textile industries, banks, and hospitals.
Six months after returning from his tour of Europe and the United States, the Great Kanto Earthquake struck on September 1, 1923.
As Army facilities were also damaged in the disaster, Yakushiji put his skills to work in the reconstruction effort.
In recognition of his achievements, and on the recommendation of Army Minister Kazushige Ugaki, who was from Okayama Prefecture, he was appointed a senior government engineer in November 1924.
He was the first serving engineer within the Ministry of the Army to receive this appointment, which is why Yakushiji came to be called “the architect appointed by the Emperor.”
However, under the Ministry of the Army’s system at the time, civilian officials who had graduated from an imperial university could no longer hold senior positions. At Ohara Magosaburo’s invitation, Yakushiji returned to his hometown.
Within the Ministry of the Army, civilian officials were those who had graduated from institutions such as imperial universities, distinguishing them from military officers who had graduated from institutions such as the Army War College.
After returning home, Yakushiji became a director of Kurashiki Silk Textile Co., Ltd. (now Kuraray) in 1926.
He designed many buildings associated with the Ohara family, including the Ohara Museum of Art’s Main Building and Yurin-so Villa, and together with Ohara Magosaburo laid the foundations for the development of Kurashiki that continues today.
Bank Architecture Designed by Kazue Yakushiji and Its Era
Here is an introduction to the bank buildings designed by Yakushiji and other bank buildings from the same period that were discussed in the lecture.
Daiichi Godo Bank Kurashiki Branch (now the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery at the Ohara Museum of Art)
This building, located in a corner of the Bikan Historical Area, was completed in 1922 as the Kurashiki Branch of Daiichi Godo Bank (now Chugoku Bank).
Ohara Magosaburo, the client, commissioned Yakushiji to design the building and Fujiki Construction, founded by Shoichi Fujiki, to carry out the construction.
Fujiki Construction still has a branch in Kurashiki and has built many buildings in the city, including those connected with the Ohara family. Its roots in Kurashiki lie in this bank building.
Rather than using traditional wood or brick construction, this modern building was made with steel, concrete, and glass. Its distinctive features include a semicircular window fitted with stained glass and a design incorporating the Renaissance style.
It is thought that Yakushiji may have chosen the Renaissance style partly because of its association with the Medici family of Florence, Italy, where the Renaissance began.
The Medici family amassed its fortune through finance and used its wealth to support artists such as Michelangelo as patrons, helping sustain the Renaissance. Professor Ueda explained:
“As the architect serving the Ohara family, perhaps he put his hopes into the design, wishing that the Ohara family would prosper like the Medici as it expanded into banking.”
The building was used as the Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch until 2016. When banking operations ended, it was transferred to the Ohara Museum of Art and repurposed as a museum.
After renovation work, it opened to the public in April 2025 as the “Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery.”
Former Head Office of Chugoku Bank
Yakushiji also designed the former Chugoku Bank Head Office in Okayama City. Professor Ueda described an episode from its construction:
“The former head office was completed in 1927 on the same site as Chugoku Bank’s current head office. The original plan was for an eight-story building, which would have been an unprecedented scale for a bank building in a regional city.”
However, the central supervisory authority at the time rejected the plan, saying, “A regional city does not need such a large bank.”
Yakushiji considered an eight-story building because he planned to rent out the upper floors to generate rental income. It is said that he took inspiration from buildings such as the Marunouchi Building, completed in 1920 while he was with the Ministry of the Army.
Today, it is perfectly commonplace to see a bank occupying the first floor of an office building, but at the time, it was a groundbreaking proposal.
The interior columns were adorned with exquisite phoenix (palm tree) motifs. Beyond their design, they were intended to express the hope that the Ohara family’s banking business would prosper for many years to come, like a phoenix, Professor Ueda explained.
At the entrance to the current head office, rebuilt in 1991, an aloe-inspired entrance relief and the window grilles from the former head office have been preserved and reused as part of its legacy, evoking the building’s former days.
Former Bank of Japan Okayama Branch (now Renes Hall)
The former Bank of Japan Okayama Branch (now Renes Hall) is located a short distance from the former head office of Chugoku Bank.
This building was completed in 1922, designed by Nagano Uheiji, a master of bank architecture, who was a disciple of architect Tatsuno Kingo, known for designing Tokyo Station.
The Greek temple-style facade (front) has been designated a Registered Tangible Cultural Property as a design characteristic of bank architecture of the time.
The construction was carried out by Fujiki Construction, which also worked on the aforementioned First Joint Bank Kurashiki Branch.
Its founder, Fujiki Shoichi, was recognized for his skill and would go on to work on many bank buildings, including the First Joint Bank Kurashiki Branch.
There was also an explanation of how Yakushiji had designed Chugoku Bank branches in various locations across Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kagawa.
One of the buildings introduced in the lecture was the Chugoku Bank Ajino Branch, which stood near Nozaki's Historical Residence in Kojima, Kurashiki City.
A bank building designed by Yakushiji still stands today and has been repurposed as a denim shop.
The History of Chugoku Bank and the Kurashiki Honmachi Branch Office
Following Professor Ueda’s keynote lecture, Kiyota Satoshi, manager of the Kurashiki Branch of Chugoku Bank, Ltd., gave a lecture on the history of Chugoku Bank and the Kurashiki Honmachi Branch Office.
Using slides and commentary, he gave a detailed account of the history from the founding of the First Joint Bank, one of Chugoku Bank’s predecessors, by Ohara Magosaburo, through subsequent mergers, to the present-day Chugoku Bank.
The former Kurashiki Honmachi Branch Office is now the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery at the Ohara Museum of Art.
Many alumni who visit the exhibition rooms, where the premises have been well preserved in their original operating condition, feel nostalgic. They also said that it is a special place for those who worked here.
From the Writer
This lecture was held through an inter-industry collaboration between a bank and an art museum.
I was deeply impressed that the ties between the client, architect, and builder from 100 years ago, which lie at the heart of it all, have continued to the present day, even as they have changed form.
At the end of the lecture, Honorary Director Kenichiro Ohara gave a few remarks. Here are some words that left a strong impression on me.
“I hope Kurashiki will be part of a first-rate region in a first-rate country.”
The many tangible and intangible legacies left by those who came before us. I was reminded that our mission, as people living today, may be to update these legacies and pass them on to the next generation.
Articles about the Ohara Museum of Art
Ohara Museum of Art’s 95th Anniversary Lecture, “Modern Kurashiki as Seen Through Bank Architecture” Information
| Name | Ohara Museum of Art’s 95th Anniversary Lecture, “Modern Kurashiki as Seen Through Bank Architecture” |
|---|---|
| Date | November 5, 2025 (Wednesday), 6:20 p.m.–8:20 p.m. |
| Location | Ohara Museum of Art |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
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