Historic Japanese Building Attracts Film, TV Crews; Western-Style House Also Popular For Family Photos

The Yomiuri Shimbun
The exterior of brick-like tiles is an eye-catching feature of the Former Ishikawa-gumi Seishi Seiyokan building.

IRUMA, Saitama — The area that is now Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, was home to a prosperous silk-reeling industry from the final years of the Edo period (1603-1867) to the early years of the Showa era (1929-1989).

In those years, Ishikawa-gumi Seishi was one of Japan’s largest silk-making companies. Founder Ikutaro Ishikawa built a two-story, Western-style guesthouse in Iruma to entertain foreign traders with whom the company did business.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Patterns on stained glass in the grand hall are said to be, from left, orchid, plum, bamboo and a combination of flowers and berries of a tea tree.

In the entrance hall, visitors first see a fireplace made of marble. Balls used to be held in the grand hall on the second floor. Crimson carpets are laid on the floor of the grand hall, where light comes in through stained glass windows. The interiors are gorgeous.

The building is now known as the Former Ishikawa-gumi Seishi Seiyokan. It was designed by Soshichi Murooka, who graduated from then Tokyo Imperial University, presently the University of Tokyo, and was called a genius of architecture who combined Western and Japanese features.

Records show that the framework of the building was completed in 1921, the 10th year of the Taisho era (1912-1926).

When I visited the building in November, many parents with young children were participating in a photography event for the annual Shichigosan festival, a traditional celebration of children aged 3, 5 and 7.

On the second floor, there are two connected Japanese-style rooms. People can take photos in both Western and Japanese attire, with suitable backgrounds for each.

Many families want to take keepsake photos in the architectural landmark, where visitors can feel the value of history. I was told that demand for the photography event is so great that attendees are chosen by lottery.

The Western-style building’s mood of Taisho-era romanticism has also made it popular as a shooting location for movies and TV dramas.

Productions filmed in the building include “Kaseifu wa Mita” (The housekeeper saw), a series starring Etsuko Ichihara, and the “Nazotoki wa Dina no Ato de” (The Dinner Table Detective), a series based on the eponymous best-selling novels.

In addition to those popular TV dramas, the building was also the location for a TV commercial in which elegant couples swirl around their dancing master, who sets the tempo by chanting, “Scone, Scone, Koikeya Scone!” (In this context, the word “Scone” refers to a fried snack resembling Cheetos.)

The Ishikawa family donated the building to the Iruma city government in 2003, and the city government has found ways to put the building to use. In 2018, a city ordinance stipulated that the rental fee for the building is ¥210,000 for one user for a whole day.

Yuta Nakamura, a city government official in charge of cultural properties, explained the amount saying, “For preservation and maintenance, we ask for an amount that is on par with other famous film-shooting locations.”

The Yomiuri Shimbun
The decor of a dining hall on the first floor includes ceiling panels with geometric patterns.

In fiscal 2023, the building brought a total of ¥8.29 million into the city government’s coffers, greatly exceeding the amount necessary for maintenance of the building.

Because the building is so popular, its interior is kept immaculate. The perfectly cleaned floors and walls are proof of the enthusiasm for preserving the Western-style building with a long history for as long as possible.

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Former Ishikawa-gumi Seishi Seiyokan


Address: 13-13 Kawaramachi, Iruma, Saitama Prefecture

Access: 5-minute walk from the north exit of Irumashi Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line

Memo: The building is open to the public for about 50 days a year, and the dates are displayed on the city government’s website. Admission is ¥200 per adult. Last year, 2,575 people visited.