Former Kawasaki Bank Mito Branch
About 1.6 km west of Mito Station along National Route 50, you’ll find this building on the right. It housed the Mitsubishi UFJ Bank until mid-February 2019.
This building dates back to the Meiji era. It was constructed in 1909 (Meiji 42) as the Kawasaki Bank Mito Branch.
Kawasaki Bank was established in 1880, with its head office in Tokyo and branches in Mito, Chiba, and Sawara. Given that its founder, Kawasaki Hachiemon, was from Mito, the bank held overwhelming dominance within Ibaraki Prefecture.
According to data from 1888, when ranking banks in Ibaraki Prefecture by deposit amount: 1st: Kawasaki Bank Mito Branch (¥245,000), 2nd: Tokai Savings Bank Mito Branch (¥105,000), 3rd: 50th National Bank (Tsuchiura) (¥100,000), 4th: 62nd National Bank (Mito) (¥85,000) (Amounts below ¥1,000 were rounded.)
The second-ranked Tokai Savings Bank was established within the Kawasaki Bank Mito Branch and functioned as Kawasaki Bank’s savings division.
Kawasaki Bank Mito Branch relocated to a new reinforced concrete building constructed in 1909. This is that building.
It was designed by Niinomi Takamasa (1857-1922), who after graduating from the Imperial College of Engineering became a technical officer at the Ministry of Engineering and worked on designs for the Imperial Household Agency and the Ministry of Communications. He later joined the Japan Civil Engineering Company, becoming independent after the company dissolved in 1893.
Among his surviving works is the former Gakushuin Elementary School Main Hall (1899), which he designed. He also reportedly collaborated on the design of the Hyokeikan building at the Tokyo National Museum.
However, the building’s form differs between its completion and today.
This building suffered damage in the air raids of 1945, burning down except for the outer walls and the vault. It was renovated and put back into use after the war.
The image quality is a bit poor, but I’m including it because a photograph of the storefront was used in an advertisement for the Taisho-era Kawasaki Bank Mito Branch (along with the Ishioka Branch and the Sakamachi Sub-branch).
As you can see, the entrance had a carriage porch and a roof topped with small spires.
Although the entire building is not visible, a photograph showing the roof shape was published in “Mito: 80th Anniversary of City
Incorporation Photo Collection, 2nd Edition,” so I am quoting it here.
It shows that there were spires in the center and on both sides.
The bank’s name changed as follows due to mergers and name changes:
1927: Kawasaki Daihyaku Bank Mito Branch
1936: Daihyaku Bank Mito Branch
1943: Mitsubishi Bank Mito Branch
(1945: Damaged by air raids; operated from temporary premises until 1951.)
1948: Changed trade name to Chiyoda Bank (per GHQ directive to avoid using the Mitsubishi name)
1953: Changed name to Mitsubishi Bank again
1996: Tokyo-Mitsubishi Bank Mito Branch
2006: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Mito Branch
2018: Mitsubishi UFJ Bank Mito Branch
(Relocated to new premises on February 18, 2019)
fter the Mito Branch relocated, the Tetsu Foundation for Cultural Creation purchased the site and developed it into the “Tetsu Art Plaza,” a facility featuring an art museum, hall, and cafe.
The cafe and hall opened in November 2025, and the art museum is scheduled to open in February 2026.
The brown-walled building to the left of the main building is the art museum. The brown wall visible on the far right is the cafe.
This is the hall entrance. It was closed on this day.
The hall is furnished with tables and chairs and can be used free of charge for study and other purposes. Bringing in food and drinks is also permitted. (Closed Mondays and the second Tuesday of every month)
While fees may apply in some cases, private rentals are also available.
The cafe was open for business.
A building of interest was located nearby.
It’s called Izumicho Kaikan, operated by the Izumicho Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
It was built in 1955.
[Reference] (all written in Japanese)
"Mito: 80th Anniversary of City Incorporation Photo Collection, 2nd Edition" (Mito City / 1970)
“History of Mitsubishi Bank, Volume 2” (Compiled by the Bank History Editorial Office, Research Department / Mitsubishi Bank / 1980)
“Guidebook to Modern Architecture: Kanto Region” (Written by the Tokyo Architecture Detective Group / Kashima Publishing / 1982)
“Cultural Facility to Open in Mito City Center in November” (Nihon Keizai Shimbun, 2025-10-31)
"Former Kawasaki Bank Mito Branch Transformed into Art and Relaxation Space; Hall and Cafe to Pre-Open on the 21st" (Sankei Shimbun, November 19, 2025)
Tetsu Art Plaza Official Website