H?heikan

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The H?heikan (???, H?heikan) is a historical building and a wedding venue, located in Nakajima Park, Ch??-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaid?, Japan. The building has previously been a hotel, guest house, event venue, and military camp. Currently, the H?heikan is registered as one of the National Important Cultural Properties, and used as a wedding venue, restaurant and meeting facility. The building is run by the Sapporo city.

Video H?heikan

History

Administered by the Hokkaid? Development Commission (Kaitaku shi), the construction of the H?heikan was started in 1879 in the Nishi 1-ch?me area of Odori Park. It was completed in November 1880, and opened in December of the same year. The purpose of the construction was to construct an accommodation for the other countries' engineers developing the primitive Hokkaid? prefecture.

The building was officially opened as a hotel in August 1881, and invited the Emperor Meiji as the first guest. He stayed in the H?heikan for four days. Winning fame as a hotel at which the Emperor had stayed, the H?heikan was used for many ceremonies and as a hotel for officials. In 1882, the Hokkaid? Development Commission was demolished, and after the ownership of the H?heikan was moved, the Imperial Household Ministry has lent the building to Sapporo. Followed by the Emperor Meiji, the Emperor Taish? stayed in the H?heikan in 1911, so as the Emperor Sh?wa in 1922.

As the city of Sapporo grew, the demand for the event venues increased. Sapporo city begged the Imperial Household Ministry for moving the ownership of the building to Sapporo, and in 1921, the H?heikan was yielded to Sapporo city. In 1927, the building was enlarged by constructing new rooms on its back side, and the H?heikan was used as the musical venue.

Along with the beginning of World War II, the H?heikan functioned as the facility for the Japanese Northern District Army, and after Japan lost the war, it was confiscated by the American army and used as their accommodation. After the American army moved to the Camp Crowford, which was a camp constructed in current Minami-ku, Sapporo, the H?heikan was returned to Sapporo, and used as the community centre.

The H?heikan was pulled down in order to move to Nakajima Park, and in 1958, the new building was completed at the current place, and opened as the wedding hall and restaurant. In 1964, the H?heikan was registered as one of the Important Cultural Properties. The building has been repaired and renovated between 1983 and 1986. The Crown Prince Naruhito visited the H?heikan in 1986.

Maps H?heikan

Overview

The H?heikan is currently the only building used as a wedding hall among the Important Cultural Properties. The building is also the oldest wooden hotel building in existence in Japan. The architecture of the H?heikan comprises a few styles. The whole building was constructed in the American style, but the balcony and its accompaniments at the front of the building was constructed in European style. The semicircle roof at the centre of the building has a Gegyo (??) sculpture, a Japanese traditional fish sculpture usually seen at the roof of Japanese shrines and temples. The colour Ultramarine blue, which was imported from Europe, is painted on the column and window frames.

Used as a wedding venue, the H?heikan has held wedding ceremonies for over 20,000 couples, as of January 2004. The H?heikan has also been a party venue. The restaurant and cafe are also housed in the building, and guests also enjoy snacks. The restaurant serves Japanese and French cuisine, and uses ingredients harvested in Hokkaid? prefecture.

The first floor of the building covers 522.94 m². The H?heikan is located northwestward of the Nakajima Park, and is close to the other buildings in the park including the Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara. The nearest subway station is the Nakajima K?en station, Namboku Line.

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References

src: www.abysse.co.jp

External links

• Welcome Sapporo - H?heikan (in English)
• Japan Travel Guide by www.yamasa.org (in English)
• H?heikan Official Website (wedding) (in Japanese)
• H?heikan Official Website (restaurant) (in Japanese)

Source of article : Wikipedia