Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Ijokan)

Overview

The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Ijokan) is a museum located in Maiko Park, Tarumi-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, it's the oldest extant building in Japan constructed of concrete blocks, built in the Meiji era. Formerly known as the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Museum, it opened in 1984 as Japan's only museum dedicated to the Chinese revolutionary, Sun Yat-sen (Sun Wen). Sun Yat-sen, revered as the father of the Xinhai Revolution, had ties with Kōjirō Matsubara of Kawasaki Heavy Industries during his time in hiding in Kobe, and used this area as a base for his activities. The museum building consists of the octagonal Chinese-style pavilion "Ijokan" and its annexes. Ijokan was built in 1915 within the "Shōkai Bessō," the summer villa of Go Kinsō (1855-1926), a Chinese merchant and speculator, located on Maiko Coast. The annex was built in the 1890s, with Ijokan and other structures added in the Taishō era. It was relocated to Maiko Park in 2000. Shōkai Bessō hosted a welcoming party for Sun Yat-sen and his entourage during their visit to Kobe in 1913. Today, the walls are decorated with meticulously recreated Kintōkakishi (handcrafted high-quality wallpaper). Inside, precious documents and artifacts related to Sun Yat-sen are on display, including his handwritten stone inscription, "天下為公" (Tenka Iko – the world belongs to the public). The pavilion's name, "Ijokan" (literally, "Pavilion of Shifting Scenery"), comes from the ever-changing views it offers of the Rokko Mountains, the Seto Inland Sea, Awaji Island, and Shikoku. Designed by Eikichi Yokoyama, a disciple of the British architect Alexander Nelson Hansell, it's said that the name was chosen because each of the eight sides offers a unique and breathtaking view, allowing visitors to lose themselves in the scenery. Locally, due to its hexagonal appearance, it's also known as "Maiko's Hexagonal Hall". The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Ijokan) offers a glimpse into history and stunning views. Don't miss it when visiting Kobe!