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When walking through the streets of Yokohama, there are times when you feel as if you have wandered into a gap between eras. One revolving door standing at 58 Yamashita-cho, Naka Ward, is a symbol of that sensation.
This revolving door once adorned the entrance of the headquarters building of Rising Sun Petroleum (later Showa Shell Sekiyu). Built in 1929 (Showa 4), after the Great Kanto Earthquake, the building was designed through the collaboration of architects Antonin Raymond and B. Feurestein, and became renowned as a pioneer of modern architecture in Japan at the time. The revolving door installed at the entrance is a symbol of early Showa modernism, and its form remains to this day. (plaza.rakuten.co.jp)
Currently, this revolving door is not in use, but its pastel colors and the address inscribed at the top catch the eyes of visitors. Thinking that such a revolving door already existed at the beginning of the Showa era, one cannot help but feel both the advanced nature of the times and the weight of history. (4travel.jp)
Since its opening as a port, Yokohama has developed as a port town where diverse cultures intersect. This revolving door, too, quietly stands as evidence of having embraced the wave of modernization amid the exotic cityscape. Its presence is like a bridge connecting past and present, giving visitors a glimpse into a fragment of history.
Standing in front of this door, it feels as if you can hear the bustle and the breath of people in early Showa-era Yokohama. This revolving door, which remains across eras, is a valuable heritage that tells the story of Yokohama’s history and culture, leaving a deep impression on those who visit.