Grand Opening of 'Kyu Tsutaya', a New Tourist Destination in Atami

The 'Kyu Tsutaya Regeneration Project', which focuses on renovating a 70-year-old former brothel building in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture, will grand open 'Kyu Tsutaya' (6-3 and 6-4 Chuo-cho, Atami City) as a new tourist destination in Atami on Saturday, April 11. The first floor will feature 'Yoruno Atami', a general store selling apparel and sundries featuring motifs from the designs scattered throughout 'Kyu Tsutaya' and the town of Atami at night, as well as antiques and old books related to Atami. Also opening on the first floor is 'Matsuzaka', a meat tofu shop managed by a French chef. Visitors can enjoy shopping and dining while feeling the history of Atami in a rare space that deeply retains the atmosphere of a valuable brothel architecture.

What is 'Kyu Tsutaya'? The area around Chuo-cho, where 'Kyu Tsutaya' is located, was once a red-light district called 'Itokawa Hanamachi'. Today, it is an area lined with snack bars and izakayas, but buildings known as brothel architecture and cafe architecture still remain, forming a unique townscape. 'Kyu Tsutaya' is the largest building among them. Although it has suffered damage such as leaks and collapsing exterior walls, it is in a relatively good state of preservation. It retains its eclectic Japanese and Western exterior, decorative openwork windows featuring ivy leaves and gourds, and ceiling and corridor decorations reminiscent of Sukiya-style architecture. On the first floor, there are two rooms that were used as dining spaces, and on the second floor, there are eight small rooms named 'Ume' (Plum), 'Matsu' (Pine), 'Tsuta' (Ivy), etc., each finished with elaborate interiors.