Weather cock at Kobe Kitano Ijin-Kan

The architectural designer of this old house called "Kazamidori no Yakata" meaning a weather cock is German George De Lalande and its construction was performed while the Meiji period 1907. The original owner of this house was Thomas Gottfried, also a German trading merchant from Yokohama. George De Lalande had his designing office in Yokohama at that time and his designed houses were almost lost now in Japan except Kazamidori and another one with following Jugendstil way, art nouveau in French. But not a few designing by him remains in Europe even now. As is often the case, a name plate "Rhenania" is exhibited on the upper frame of the gate, it is the German small city situating 200 km to the West Southern Western direction from Hamburg along with the River of Rhine where Mr. Gottfriet lived. So, the plate here takes in connections. The external wall of the house looks like made by piled bricks, but actually not. Thinner brick pieces were adhered on the flat surface pretending brick piled construction, this kind of tricks are observed everywhere also in the house. For example, the lighting equipment from the ceiling can be pulled down near to the table for reading a book, lack of light source at night was Physically compensated in this manner. We can see his warm and kind care for his daughter Eliza, who would be a greatest assistance later for the recent reconstruction of the house in completely original condition. The first entrance is made in Chinese style because almost of the customers were overseas Chinese, and so decorated as with hospitality. This is why the Chinese style is invited in the design for the entrance. Even casually placed chairs and table have some beautiful historical story about the passion of the related peoples who were torn by the WW-Ⅰ through a long distance between Imperial Japan and German Empire. Japan and Germany were enemy countries each other at that time. A former servant took it out of the seized house and sent it to Germany voluntarily, though it was not desired. In spite of the danger to be caught by the Authority, their attitude was a good proof of deeper relationships between them. The furniture were sent back here in Kobe by Eliza as a matter of fact. Eliza left some impressive worlds before she would leave to the heaven, " Germany is my born country and Japan is my home town in my heart."