Gunma’s Former Jomo Muslin Office Preserves Old Pseudo-Western Architecture

By Rinka Deguchi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

18:46 JST, November 24, 2025

TATEBAYASHI, Gunma — In one corner of central Tatebayashi, a city in Gunma Prefecture filled with historic sites and parks, stands a striking cream-colored building that catches the eyes of passersby.

It is the Former Jomo Muslin Office, which was once the headquarters of a textile manufacturing company that produced muslin, a thin wool fabric. The production of Jomo Muslin was a pillar of the local economy during the Meiji (1868–1912) and Taisho (1912–1926) eras.

The company was founded in 1902, and the office building was constructed around 1910. During World War II, the building was used by Nakajima Aircraft, one of the nation’s largest military aircraft manufacturers.

When ownership was transferred to the city in 1978, it was designated as an important tangible cultural property of the prefecture for its pseudo-Western style, which is a valuable symbol of how the region became modernized.

It was originally located near the city hall, but was moved to its current location, about 600 meters to the east, in 1979.

The building boasts a hip-and-gable roof structure using the traditional Japanese shakkanho measurement system. However, Western architectural techniques are incorporated throughout, including its perfectly symmetrical exterior with a shallow overhanging roof and chandeliers illuminating each room.

Shoes are strictly prohibited inside. Upon removing their shoes and entering, visitors are greeted by the sight of four pillars.

“These are entasis columns, which bulge slightly in the center,” said an official of the cultural promotion division of the City Board of Education.

This style, commonly seen in ancient Greek architecture, is also used by structures such as the Middle Gate, or Chumon, of Horyuji temple in Nara Prefecture.

Even the dark brown handrail of the building’s red-carpeted staircase features decorative elements.

The spacious hall on the second floor produces strikingly different impressions depending on the amount of light entering through the sash windows.

The building, currently open to the public as Tatebayashi Museum No. 2, exhibits items such as roof tiles from the muslin factory and bobbins that were used in production.

This building is also sometimes used as a filming location. It appeared as a student dormitory in the popular 2011 TV drama series “Hanazakari no Kimitachi e: Ikemen Paradaisu 2011” (To you all in full bloom: Handsome man paradise 2011).

The city also hosts jazz concerts and other events at the building to promote its appeal as a cultural property.

“There is great value in the building remaining in its original state. We hope people will use it and recognize the importance and charm of this cultural asset,” the official said.

Former Jomo Muslin Office

Address: 2-3 Shiromachi, Tatebayashi, Gunma Prefecture

Access: About 15 minutes on foot from Tatebayashi Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line. About 10 minutes by car from the Tatebayashi Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway.

Hours: Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission at 4:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays in principle.