History of Futaba Museum
This is the former home of Sadayakko Kawakami, who made her name as Japan's first actress, and Momosuke Fukuzawa, once anointed the "king of electric power". When it was first built, the house was located in Higashi-Futaba-cho at the northern tip of the Cultural Path district. Set in an approximately 6,000m2 section, the house blends Japanese and Western styles. Such was its opulence and the radicalness of the design that it became known as the "Futaba Palace", and was a popular haunt for political and financial bigwigs as well as cultural movers and shakers.
It is said that at the time, Fukuzawa, who had taken up a position as director of Nagoya Electricity (Nagoya Dento) Co., Ltd. at the behest of Seki Yada, a senior student of his from his days at Keio University, set up a branch in Nagoya to promote his hydroelectric power generation business on the Kiso River and invited Kawakami to be a partner in the project.
The building was designed by Amerikaya, a residential specialist known for its revolutionary designs, and the interior was stocked with electrical fittings that were breathtaking at the time. Not to be outdone, though, Kawakami's tastes are discernable throughout the building.
Records from the time indicate that one approached the building along a gravel driveway, and negotiated a roundabout before reaching the carriage porch. Pines and other trees stood guard while weeping cherry trees and firs adorned a grassed garden, which also boasted an electricity-powered fountain and search lights.
The grand parlor, with its circularly arranged sofas, was bathed in a veritable kaleidoscope of light from stained glass windows. It was here that Kawakami flitted about organizing refreshments and banquets for the legions of guests that came by everyday-as if she wasn't busy enough as proprietor of Kawakami Silk (Kawakami Kenpu) Co., Ltd. Kawakami was also known to accompany Fukuzawa to the dam construction site in Kiso, a three-hour train ride. Although their life was busy, it was certainly satisfying.
Fukuzawa would later become sickly and return to Tokyo, and Sadayakko also spent increasingly more time in the capital as an instructor at the Kawakami Children's Theatrical Company. We can but imagine that the couple's memories of their time in Nagoya were cherished in their hearts for the rest of their days.
The house was relocated to its current location in Shumoku-cho and work begun on restoration in February 2000. Completed five years later, the newly-named Cultural Path Futaba Museum (Former Residence of Sadayakko Kawakami) was designated by the government as a registered tangible cultural property.。
The changing faces of the former residence of Sadayakko Kawakami
- 1920 to 1937
- This is the former home of Sadayakko Kawakami, who made her name as Japan's first actress, and Momosuke Fukuzawa, once anointed the "king of electric power". The building was designed by Amerikaya, a residential specialist known for its revolutionary designs, and, with its use of US housing designs, managed to strike a fine balance between Japan and the West. Stretching east-to-west, the structure employs a Western style of architecture, while inside, the portion to the west of the house and to the back as you look from the entrance features Japanese-style rooms.
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- 1938 to 1999
- In 1937, Tsunezo Kawasakiya, then director of Daido Steel, bought approximately 2,140m2 of the property as well as the building. The remaining 6,500m2 or so was subdivided off. As a result, the Western-style facade of the eastern side of the house was removed and the western part of the building was expanded and renovated. Stained glass and some other original materials were recycled from the dismantled part of the structure, and the external view was retained with the use of a red-tile roof. Later, in 1959, around 560m2 of the northern end of the remaining property was sold off.
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- 2005 to present
- With the donation of the building to Nagoya City in 2000, the city dismantled and carefully stored the house, and then rebuilt it at 23 Shumoku-cho 3-chome, Higashi-ku. The shape of the current grounds as well as legal and functional requirements dictates that the building has some slight differences from its original form--for instance; the building has been revolved 90°. However, the original materials dismantled and stored previously have been used wherever possible to maintain the atmosphere of the time.
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The relocation and restoration of the former residence of Sadayakko Kawakami
When relocating and restoring the former residence of Sadayakko Kawakami, consideration was given to the fact that the building had close links with both Kawakami and Momosuke Fukuzawa, not to mention the unique exterior and grand parlor that was the scene of much social interaction, and the decision was made to restore it to its original form. Another aim was to achieve registration as a tangible cultural property. To that end, four policies were established.
- Original materials remained from the binning would be used as much as possible.
- Parts diverted after renovation would be returned to where they were originally used.
- Preserved materials whose original usage was unclear would still be used as much as possible.
- Materials and techniques from the time of the original building would be recreated.
Details of the relocation and restoration
- Feb.2000
- Building donated by Daido Life Service, Co., Ltd.
- Feb.-March, 2000
- Trace research of the original building at the time it was built; Dismantlement and preservation (dismantled parts stored in a warehouse).
- Nov. 2000
- Land leading to area designated for townscape preservation purchased for relocation.
- Dec. 2000 -March, 2002
- Preliminary and working restoration design drawings drawn up
- March, 2003 -Oct. 2004
- Restoration work
- Feb.8,2005
- Opened
- Feb.9,2005
- Registered as a tangible cultural property
Relocated portion
approximately 80% of the structural materials, floor, ceiling, fixture materials and furnishings are the old materials disassembled and stored from the old location and reused here.
Restored portion
The current building has been altered slightly from the original for functional reasons. Some fixture materials and furnishings are old materials reused here.
The restoration is an approximation of the original appearance of the building based on surveys at the time of disassembly, old photographs showing the house, interviews with people that actually lived in the building and other buildings designed by Amerikaya. Some parts of the house, such as the stained glass, sofas, floors, ceilings and fitting materials are old materials reused here.