Sempukan Building, Osaka

The Sempukan was the first western style building constructed in Osaka. It served at the time as the guest house and reception hall of the Osaka Mint Bureau and has hosted the Meiji Emperor during his visit to the City in 1872.

The Sempukan Building was designed by the English Architect, Thomas Waters who was also a dedicated member of the Mint Bureau’s staff. It was constructed using local material and bricks in colonial verandah style. The outer pillars were made of granite and had a design reminiscent of pillars in Tuscany. The building was equipped with western style toilets that used flushed running water. The upper floor has rooms with individual fireplaces and a throne room to accommodate the Emperor and his family.

The Sempukan Building has a spacious verandah with 56 granite columns. The corridor was painted white and the doors, green. The interiors were decorated beautifully with high ceilings and chandeliers. Over the years, the building has become old and its exterior and interiors are in a state of deterioration. It is undergoing extensive renovation and restoration and is open to the public for three days in a year. It was declared an Important Cultural Property in the year 1956 and belongs today, to the City of Osaka.