明治屋ビル

The Meidi-ya Building stands in a corner of Sakaisuji-Honmachi among expressways and tall buildings. Finished in Taisho 13 (1924) to the design of the Sone Chujo architectural office, it is a neo-Renaissance building worked out down to the smallest detail. In its day the ground floor held Meidi-ya Store, Japan's first shop for imported food and western drink, founded in Yokohama in Meiji 18 (1885); two floors were offices to let; and two more held a fashionable western restaurant, Chuotei. People came here to buy western groceries. It was unusual for its time in the thought given to daylight, ventilation and fire safety, and had a name for being easy to use. About a month after building began the Great Kanto Earthquake struck, and those in charge are said to have changed the steel in haste to the stronger American Bethlehem product. Since 2006 a Lawson has taken the place of Meidi-ya on the ground floor.

Translated from the Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City tourist listings (観光施設一覧, CC BY 4.0).