The Ehrismann House, a historic Western-style mansion, stands on a hill in Yokohama's Yamate district.

Infiltrating an artistic space!
YOKOHAMA ART SPOT FILE

Preserving the history of the foreign settlement era for the present day
Yokohama Yamate Western-style house "Ehrismann House"

The Ehrismann House stands on a hill in Yamate, exuding an exotic atmosphere. Built in 1926 (Taisho 15), it was the residence of Swiss merchant Fritz Ehrismann, designed by Antonin Raymond, who is considered the "father of modern architecture."
In 1989, it was relocated and restored to Motomachi Park, and the following year it was opened to the public as the "Ehrismann House." This Western-style building, of extremely high architectural value, can be viewed free of charge and is now one of Yokohama's leading tourist attractions.
The house, with its striking white walls and green trim surrounded by numerous plants and flowers, changes its appearance with the seasons, and on sunny days, many people can be seen taking photographs or sketching. Inside, you can see a living room/dining room with a table, a reception room with a fireplace, and a sunroom overlooking the garden, making it fun to tour the house while imagining the lifestyle of the time! In addition, the house hosts various events throughout the year, which are always very popular.

Entrance to the Ehrismann House.
The building, with its imposing presence that conveys a sense of history, has captivated people of all ages.

Motomachi Park Street. In addition to the Ehrismann House, there are six other Western-style houses in the Yamate district.

A building surrounded by three large trees. Its exterior, which changes its appearance with each season, is very charming.

On sunny days, the terrace seating at the top of the stairs becomes a place of relaxation for people from both within and outside the community, with some reading books and others relaxing with friends.

There is a ramp next to the entrance of the museum, making it accessible for wheelchair users. (First floor exhibits only)

Admission is free. Please remove your shoes at the entrance and put on slippers before entering the building.

A retro public telephone located in the entrance hall.
If you call, you might get through to them back then!

Portraits of Mr. F. Ehrismann, the owner of this mansion, and his wife (a Japanese woman).
On the first floor, we have recreated and showcased the appearance of rooms in a Western-style house from the Taisho era.
The furniture, such as chairs and tables, was designed by architect Raymond.

living room and dining room

A reception room with a fireplace

Sunroom facing the south garden terrace

Terrace seating. On sunny days, warm sunlight pours down.

If you go to the left of the stairs, you will reach the underground hall.

The stairs lead down to the underground hall. They're a bit steep, so be careful!

The underground hall is available for rent and is used for exhibitions, workshops, and other events.

During my visit, a group exhibition by students of a "sketching class" was being held.

Next, let's head up to the second floor, where there used to be three bedrooms!
Currently, two large bedrooms are used as exhibition rooms, where visitors can deepen their understanding of Western-style houses in Yamate by viewing photographs and drawings.
Additionally, you can view documents and flyers in the meeting room.

"I wonder what kind of decorations the room had back then?" My imagination runs wild.

Items used at the time are on display along with photographs.

A model of the Ehrismann House and a diorama of the Yamate district and surrounding area.

I started looking around to see where my house was! (I did get a general idea of where it was!)

From the room window, you can see the Marine Tower, and in the foreground, the Motomachi Pool. (The pool is hidden by the trees.)
Additionally, the former kitchen area on the first floor is now used as a coffee shop.

Western-style houses with balconies and chimneys are so lovely, aren't they? The contrast between the green and white at the Ehrismann House is truly beautiful!!

While the building is usually simply decorated, during events held in early summer, Halloween, and Christmas, professional flower artists and others create stunning decorations throughout the building according to the respective themes.
Here, we'd like to introduce the decorations from the "18th Harmony of Flowers and Vessels 2018 " event held this spring!

The theme for the Ehrismann House at this time was "A profusion of colors, a riot of fragrance and beauty . "
The interior of the building was decorated by flower activist Etsuko Shiomi, who expressed the fusion of traditional Japanese aesthetics and the Western culture of the Ehrismann House through seasonal flowers and plants.
The moment I stepped into the room, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow! It's amazing!" It was that beautiful!

In addition, the building transforms into various themed decorations, such as Halloween and Christmas decorations. Many visitors look forward to seeing what kind of decorations will be on display each time!

Various styles of salon concerts are held in the reception room.
During my visit, a salon concert featuring winners of the Kanagawa Music Competition was being held, and I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful music!

The Yamate district has been a pioneering center for new arts and cultural trends since the days of the foreign settlement, with Shakespearean plays being performed there for the first time in Japan. The Ehrismann House also hosts annual art events such as concerts and exhibitions.
Next year, there will be many attractive events held throughout the year, including the 13th Yokohama Yamate Art Festival, so I'm really looking forward to that.

Personally, I really love the Ehrismann House and have visited it many times.
No matter how many times I go, I always discover something new, and it's a very enjoyable and refreshing experience!
When you're strolling around Yamate, why not take a visit to the Ehrismann House?