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The was a large two-story building in
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
, completed in 1883, which became a controversial symbol of Westernisation in the
Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
. Commissioned for the housing of foreign guests by the
Foreign Minister A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
Inoue Kaoru Marquess Inoue Kaoru (井上 馨, January 16, 1836 – September 1, 1915) was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesmen (''Genrō'') in Jap ...
, it was designed by British architect Josiah Conder, a prominent Western adviser working in Japan. Although the ''Rokumeikans heyday was brief, it became famous for its parties and balls, which introduced many high-ranking Japanese to Western manners for the first time, and it is still a fixture in the cultural memory of Japan. It was, however, largely used for the accommodation of guests of the government, and for meetings between Japanese who had already lived abroad. Its reputation as a center of dissipation is largely exaggerated.


History


Background

The site of the Rokumeikan was in
Hibiya is a colloquial name for a neighborhood of Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo. The area along Hibiya Street ( National Route 1) from Yūrakuchō to Uchisaiwaichō is generally considered Hibiya district. Administratively, it is part of the Yūrakuchō dist ...
, near the Imperial Palace on land which had formerly been used as an arsenal for the
Satsuma domain The , briefly known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1602 to 1871. The Satsuma Domain was based at Kagoshima Castle in Satsuma Province, the core of the modern city of Kagoshima, ...
. After the
Meiji restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
, in 1872 the land became the headquarters of the secretariat charged with preparations for the Vienna Exhibition of 1873. Between July 1875 and October 1881 the land was occupied by the colossal “Yamashita Monnai Museum”, a combined zoological and
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
, which was then moved to
Ueno is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Museum of Na ...
to make way for the new building and its grounds. Foreign visitors had previously been housed in the Enryōkan, a building originally erected by the
Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
as part of a training school for naval cadets. Despite attempts at modernization, the building was old and deemed no longer considered satisfactory for housing foreign dignitaries.


Construction

Conder received a commission to design a new structure in 1880, and building work started in 1881. Conder borrowed from the
French Renaissance The French Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in France between the 15th and early 17th centuries. The period is associated with the pan-European Renaissance, a word first used by the French historian Jules Michelet to define th ...
style, and used a
Mansard roof A mansard or mansard roof (also called a French roof or curb roof) is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope, punctured by dormer windows, at a steeper angle than the upper. The ...
in his design, which also incorporated an arched portico with columns. However, Conder's wish to put Japanese elements in the design was overruled, although he claimed to have included "pseudo-Saracenic" features. Only the garden, which used pine trees, stone lanterns and ponds, was in the Japanese style. Difficulties were encountered in construction which caused the original budget of 100,000
yen The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar (US$) and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the e ...
to expand to 180,000 yen before construction was completed. In contrast, the
Foreign Ministry In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...
building cost only 40,000 yen to construct. The building was officially opened on 28 November 1883 with a gala to which 1200 guests were invited, including
nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...
, bureaucrats and foreign diplomats, presided over by Inoue and his wife Takeko.Keene, Emperor Of Japan: Meiji And His World, 1852-1912, pp 391-395


The Rokumeikan era

Inoue's intent with the Rokumeikan was to impress Western visitors, by creating a faultless Western atmosphere in which diplomats and foreign dignitaries would feel themselves not among "natives" but among cultural equals. He hoped that they would be more inclined to regard Japan as an equal in terms of “civilization” in European minds, which would facilitate renegotiation of the
Unequal Treaties Unequal treaty is the name given by the Chinese to a series of treaties signed during the 19th and early 20th centuries, between China (mostly referring to the Qing dynasty) and various Western powers (specifically the British Empire, France, the ...
, abolition of
extraterritoriality In international law, extraterritoriality is the state of being exempted from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Historically, this primarily applied to individuals, as jurisdiction was usually cla ...
and would hasten Japan's entry as an equal in the ranks of the imperial powers. The Rokumeikan served elaborate banquets, with menus written in French. In the ballroom, Japanese gentlemen in evening dress imported from tailors in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
danced the
waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...
,
polka Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The term ...
,
quadrille The quadrille is a dance that was fashionable in late 18th- and 19th-century Europe and its colonies. The quadrille consists of a chain of four to six '' contredanses''. Latterly the quadrille was frequently danced to a medley of opera melodie ...
, and
mazurka The mazurka (Polish: ''mazur'' Polish ball dance, one of the five Polish national dances and ''mazurek'' Polish folk dance') is a Polish musical form based on stylised folk dances in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, with character de ...
with Japanese ladies dressed in the latest Parisian fashions to the latest European songs played by an Army or Navy band. Foreign residents of Tokyo were hired as dancing tutors. The results were mixed. Although the highly conspicuous Western building was praised by some visitors, its concept was deplored by many others as tasteless imitation.
Pierre Loti Pierre Loti (; pseudonym of Louis Marie-Julien Viaud ; 14 January 1850 – 10 June 1923) was a French naval officer and novelist, known for his exotic novels and short stories.This article is derived largely from the ''Encyclopædia Britannica El ...
, who arrived in Japan in 1886, compared the building (in ''Japoneries d'Automne,'' 1889), to a mediocre casino in a French spa town, and the European-style ball to a “monkey show”. Likewise, the noted French artist
Georges Ferdinand Bigot Georges Ferdinand Bigot (7 April 1860 – 10 October 1927) was a French cartoonist, illustrator and artist. Although almost unknown in his native country, Bigot is famous in Japan for his satirical cartoons, which depict life in Meiji period Japa ...
published a
cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
depicting a stylishly dressed Japanese man and woman admiring themselves in a mirror, but the reflection was that of a pair of monkeys. Japanese conservatives were outraged by what they perceived to be the degeneration of traditional morals, especially by the close proximity between men and women during dances, linked rising taxes with the supposed dissipation and self-indulgence of the government. Reports and gossip of scandalous behavior by high-ranking officials (although the most notorious took place at private residences, not at the Rokumeikan), added to the controversy. The failure of "Rokumeikan diplomacy" to achieve its desired goal of treaties revised in Japan's favor led eventually to the discrediting of Inoue, who resigned in 1887.


Later years

In 1890, the
Imperial Hotel Imperial Hotel or Hotel Imperial may refer to: Hotels Australia * Imperial Hotel, Ravenswood, Queensland * Imperial Hotel, York, Western Australia Austria * Hotel Imperial, Vienna India * The Imperial, New Delhi Ireland * Imperial Hotel, D ...
opened near the Rokumeikan (again with the involvement of Inoue), and was on a grander scale. The opening of the hotel eliminated the need for the Rokumeikan as a residence for foreign visitors. The banquets and balls continued, and the nativist reaction did not slow the construction of Western-style buildings in Tokyo, but with the increasing westernization of Japan, a growing sense of cultural nationalism, and the eventual elimination of the Unequal Treaties in 1899, the Rokumeikan steadily diminished in importance.Lebra, Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese, pp198 The Rokumeikan building was sold in 1890, to an association for ''
kazoku The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan, which existed between 1869 and 1947. They succeeded the feudal lords () and court nobles (), but were abolished with the 1947 constitution. Kazoku ( 華族) should not be confused with ' ...
'' peerage of Japan. The building was severely damaged in the 1894 Tokyo earthquake, the high cost of repairs contributing to a decline in use of the building. 1897, Conder was called in to repair the building and make additional alterations. It was used by the Peers' Club ('' Kazoku Kaikan'') for the next few decades. The building was demolished in 1941. The destruction of the building disturbed the architect Taniguchi Yoshirō and eventually led him to create the ''
Meiji Mura is an open-air architectural museum/theme park in Inuyama, near Nagoya in Aichi prefecture, Japan. It was opened on March 18, 1965. The museum preserves historic buildings from Japan's Meiji (1867–1912), Taishō (1912–1926), and early Sh ...
'' for the preservation of Meiji period buildings.


Name

The name “Rokumeikan” comes from a Chinese classic, the ''
Shi Jing The ''Classic of Poetry'', also ''Shijing'' or ''Shih-ching'', translated variously as the ''Book of Songs'', ''Book of Odes'', or simply known as the ''Odes'' or ''Poetry'' (; ''Shī''), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, co ...
'' ("Book of Songs"), and refers to the benefits of hospitality. The 161st ode is entitled ''Lù Míng'', 鹿鳴, which is read in Japanese as ''rokumei''. It was chosen by , the first husband of Inoue's wife Takeko. The name is often translated as "Deer Cry Pavilion", and in older books the translation "Hall of the Baying Stag" is given. Once purchased by The Peer's Club (group), the building was renamed "The Peer's Club", but also went by the names ''Nobles' Club'' and ''Peerage Club''.


Allusions in literature

The Rokumeikan is frequently mentioned in Japanese literature, for example *'' Chijin no ai'' ("Naomi", 1924), a novel by Tanizaki Jun'ichirō *''Butokai'' ("The Ball", 1920), a short story by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, retelling Loti's account *''
Rokumeikan The was a large two-story building in Tokyo, completed in 1883, which became a controversial symbol of Westernisation in the Meiji period. Commissioned for the housing of foreign guests by the Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru, it was designed by Brit ...
'' (1956), a play by
Mishima Yukio , born , was a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, Shintoist, Nationalism, nationalist, and founder of the , an unarmed civilian militia. Mishima is considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century. He was ...
, and based on it **''Rokumeikan'' (1986), a film **''Rokumeikan'' (2008), a television special starring
Masakazu Tamura was a Japanese film and theatre actor. Profile Masakazu Tamura was born 1 August 1943 in Kyoto, Japan to Japanese actor Tsumasaburō Bandō. Tsumasaburō Bandō died when Tamura was only nine years old. His brothers Takahiro and Ryō are also ...
and
Hitomi Kuroki Hitomi Kuroki (Japanese: ; Katakana: ''Kuroki Hitomi''; born October 5, 1960, in Kurogi-Machi, Yame District, Fukuoka, Japan) is a Japanese actress and film director. Her birth name is Shoko Ichiji ( ''Ichiji Shōko'') née Egami ( ''Egami Shōk ...
*'' Lady Snowblood'', a manga written by
Kazuo Koike was a prolific Japanese manga writer ( gensakusha), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''seinen'' manga, notably ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (with Goseki Kojima, 1970–6), '' Lady Snowblood'' ...
(chapter 5 of the first volume: "Rokumeikan Murder Panorama") *''
Aoi Hana is a Japanese yuri manga series written and illustrated by Takako Shimura. It was serialized between November 2004 and July 2013 in Ohta Publishing's manga magazine ''Manga Erotics F'', with its chapters collected in eight ''tankōbon'' volume ...
'', a manga written by
Takako Shimura is a Japanese manga artist. She is primarily known for her manga works which feature LGBT (especially lesbian and transgender) topics. Her best known and selling series are ''Aoi Hana'' and ''Wandering Son''. ''Aoi Hana'' was adapted as an anime ...
who the characters act out the play ''
Rokumeikan The was a large two-story building in Tokyo, completed in 1883, which became a controversial symbol of Westernisation in the Meiji period. Commissioned for the housing of foreign guests by the Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru, it was designed by Brit ...
'' The Roumeikan is mentioned in The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley.


Location

The site of the Rokumeikan is in
Chiyoda-ku is a special ward located in central Tokyo, Japan. It is known as Chiyoda City in English.Profile< ...
,
Uchisaiwaichō is a district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, at the south-east corner of the ward bordering with Chūō and Minato. Uchisaiwaichō Station on the Toei Mita Line is located in the area. Parts of the Hibiya Station and Shimbashi Station are also located in th ...
1-chome. There is a plaque in front of the NBF Hibiya Building (formerly the Yamato Life Insurance Company).


References

* Finn, Dallas. "Reassessing the Rokumeikan." From ''Challenging past and present: the metamorphosis of nineteenth-century Japanese art'', edited by Ellen P. Conant. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2006. * Watanabe Toshio. "Josiah Conder's ''Rokumeikan'': architecture and national representation in Meiji Japan." ''Art Journal'', 22 September 1996. * Tomita Hitoshi. ''Rokumeikan: Giseiyoka no sekai'' ("Deer Cry Pavilion: The world of pseudo-Westernization") Tokyo: Hakusuisha, 1984. * Mehl, Margaret. "Dancing at the Rokumeikan: a new role for women?" From ''Japanese women emerging from subservience, 1868-1945'', edited by Hiroko Tomida and Gordon Daniels. Folkestone, Kent: Global Oriental, 2005. * * * * *


Notes


External links

* National Diet Library website
Before Rokumeikan




{{Coord, 35.671804, 139.757792, format=dms, display=title, type:landmark_region:JP_scale:10000 Defunct hotels Demolished buildings and structures in Japan Former buildings and structures in Japan Buildings and structures in Chiyoda, Tokyo Buildings of the Meiji period Residential buildings completed in 1883 Buildings and structures demolished in 1941