Japanese-Western Eclectic Architecture (Japanese: 和洋折衷建築) is an architectural style that emerged from the Eclecticism in architecture movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, which intentionally incorporated Japanese architectural and Western architectural components into one building design. The style is both a precursor to and a style of Modern Japanese Architecture (近代和風建築).
The style emerged in Yokohama in the 1853-1867 Bakumatsu period, and spread throughout Japan after the 1868 Meiji Restoration, and then to Asian and Western countries during the expansion of the Empire of Japan.
This architectural style is characterised by both components of enlightenment Western-style architecture and components of historically emblematic traditional Japanese architecture.
Buildings that are early exemplary representations of this style are; The First National Bank of Japan (第一国立銀行) built by Mistui Group (三井組) in 1872, the Kaichi School Museum building built in 1876, and Seika Restaurant (清華亭) built in 1881.
History
The earliest examples of Japanese-Western Eclectic Architecture were built by the French government as part of the Japonism artistic movement’s influence on French architecture.
The term Japanese-Western Eclectic Architecture had been used by Waseda University sociologist Wajiro Kon, in his 1925 survey of housing recently built along the Chūō Main Line in Tokyo. Wajiro reviewed 588 houses built in 1921 near Asagaya Station, and categorised them as, Japanese Style, Culture Style, and Japanese Western Style respectively. In Kon’s original thesis, the single criterion that needed to met, for classifying a house as Japanese Western Eclectic Architecture was the inclusion of a Western style Vistor’s Room (応接室).
Examples of Japanese-Western Eclectic Architectural Styles
The Japanese-Western Eclectic Architecture emerged in the late Edo Period starting Yokohama Japan, and then to other parts of Japan. The development of the style started with early architectural examples from Yokohama.
Bakumatsu Period Yokohama
These examples were built within the Foreign settlement (外国人居留地) jurisdiction, where the military Bakumatsu government had allowed concessions to foreign governments.
The French Naval Hospital built in 1865 is a distinct derivative of Japanese Western Architectural Style called Giyōfu Architecture.
The French Military Station built in 1864.
The British Provisional Legation built in 1867
Post Meiji Restoration
The First of National Bank of Japan (1872)
Former Kaichi School in the Kaichi School Museum Building in one of the Japanese-Western Eclectic Architectural styles called Giyōfu Architecture
Fujiya Hotel established in 1878, Hakone
Pavilion of the Fujiya Hotel, Hakone
Saiseikan hospital built in 1878, Yamagata Prefecture
Seika Restaurant (1881)
Shayokan built in 1907, was the birthplace of author Dazai Osamu.
Western style staircase of Shayokan
Makiki Christian Church building, Hawaii, completed in 1934.
Source From Wikipedia