Bashamichi Station on the Minatomirai Line. When you come up to ground level from Exit 5, you will be greeted by a large, classical-looking building.

This building, designated as an Important Cultural Property and Historic Site by the national government, is the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of History. Many people visit not only for the exhibits inside, but also for the historical value of the building itself.


Completed 120 years ago. SilverThe building that was built as a row is now a museum

The old part of the building was built as the head office of the Yokohama Specie Bank in 1904 (Meiji 37). This year, 2024, marks the 120th anniversary of its completion.

"Most of the surrounding buildings from that time were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Among them, this old building is a precious building that survived the damage of the earthquake," explains Taniji, the head of the curatorial department.

Since its construction, it has remained unchanged and continues to serve as a symbol of Bashamichi.

The old building was built in the Neo-Baroque style, and is characterized by the columns that line the exterior walls, penetrating from the first to the third floor. This technique is characteristic of the Baroque style, and the revival of this style that became popular in Europe after the 19th century is called Neo-Baroque.

The exterior walls are all made of stone, and if you stop and take a closer look, you can appreciate the meticulous work of the stonemasons.

The building's appearance when it was used as a sales office for the Yokohama Specie Bank


The interior still retains its original appearance. Part of the permanent exhibition room has been left as it was in the interior of the bank's business office after the Great Kanto Earthquake. The large arched decorations around the windows give a sense of the atmosphere of the time.

The permanent exhibits allow visitors to trace the history of Kanagawa Prefecture from the Paleolithic period to the present day.

"If you take your time looking around, you can enjoy it for about an hour or two. If you are visiting with other plans, it's a good idea to focus on the parts that interest you."

There are many different ways for people to enjoy museums and experience history.

A changing Yokohama and an unchanging place

*The rooftop is not normally open to the public.

The symbol of the building is the top dome, called the "Ace Dome." This dome was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake, so the current dome was restored in 1967 (Showa 42). is preserved as a restored version.

Because the surface is made of copper plate, the color has changed over time. It is said that it originally had a beautiful color similar to that of a 10 yen coin. Over time, it oxidized and turned into the vivid emerald green that it is today.

If you look closely, you'll see some kind of fish-like decoration. It's an imaginary creature called a "dolphin." It's about 1.5 meters long. If you get closer, you'll be overwhelmed by the intricacy of the decoration and the size of the dolphin.

When the building was completed, there were very few tall buildings in the town, and this building was apparently the tallest in the area at the time.

"New buildings are being constructed one after another, and now most of them are buildings to look up to. This building has been watching over the new city of Yokohama. If you compare the city and the building with that in mind, you might feel something special."


​Please feel free to enjoy as your heart desires.

​The rooftop, where you can get a close-up look at the dome, is usually closed to the public. However, they regularly hold tours where you can enjoy the rooftop and the inside of the dome. They also hold special exhibitions and interactive events. Public relations officer Hirose says:

"I hope that this museum will become one that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders. People can just drop in to take photos, or feel closer to the museum at our events. I hope that as many people as possible will become fans, and that this will help pass the tradition on to the younger generation and the generations after that."

Furthermore, Tanji continues.

"I don't want people to think of museums as something intimidating, but rather that they can enjoy themselves casually. For example, you might see patterns on pottery or a building and think, 'That's kind of interesting.' I think it's fine to do little things like that. You're free to enjoy it however you like. I hope you'll come and see for yourself what moves you."

​In order to inherit the history that has been woven up to this day, we must pass on its charm to the next generation. Let's think about the land of Kanagawa, from the past to the present and to the future.

神奈川県立歴史博物館
電話：045-201-0926
住所：神奈川県横浜市中区南仲通5-60
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