Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji era

Abstract This study identifies some of the distinctive characteristics of the land acquired by foreigners in the zakkyochi (mixed‐residential areas) of Kobe, Japan, during the Meiji era, and explores the various means by which foreigners were able to acquire this land. The primary focus is on Kitano...

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Main Author: Yoshika Yamasaki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Japan Architectural Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2475-8876.12412
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author Yoshika Yamasaki
author_facet Yoshika Yamasaki
author_sort Yoshika Yamasaki
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study identifies some of the distinctive characteristics of the land acquired by foreigners in the zakkyochi (mixed‐residential areas) of Kobe, Japan, during the Meiji era, and explores the various means by which foreigners were able to acquire this land. The primary focus is on Kitano‐cho and Yamamoto‐dori, a well‐known residential area for foreigners, where ijinkan (historical Western‐style residences) still stand to this day. By law, foreigners in zakkyochi were given only the right to lease land from Japanese citizens and the Japanese government. Nonetheless, foreigners such as E.H. Hunter expanded the area available to them by using the names of Japanese relatives. Although Japanese women who married foreigners were also prohibited from owning land, this restriction did not apply to their children. Thus, in the case of E.H. Hunter, a significant portion of the land he acquired was acquired in the name of his children, primarily in areas adjacent to the mountains, excluding the sites of graveyards and villages. Indeed, it was generally the case that the land used by foreigners in Kobe was concentrated in the hilly areas with good views that did not serve as graveyards or village sites.
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spelling doaj.art-d924ff4fb93a48dc8b3c3af8f5cfe9812023-11-20T10:50:42ZengWileyJapan Architectural Review2475-88762023-01-0161n/an/a10.1002/2475-8876.12412Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji eraYoshika Yamasaki0Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies Kyoto University Kyoto JapanAbstract This study identifies some of the distinctive characteristics of the land acquired by foreigners in the zakkyochi (mixed‐residential areas) of Kobe, Japan, during the Meiji era, and explores the various means by which foreigners were able to acquire this land. The primary focus is on Kitano‐cho and Yamamoto‐dori, a well‐known residential area for foreigners, where ijinkan (historical Western‐style residences) still stand to this day. By law, foreigners in zakkyochi were given only the right to lease land from Japanese citizens and the Japanese government. Nonetheless, foreigners such as E.H. Hunter expanded the area available to them by using the names of Japanese relatives. Although Japanese women who married foreigners were also prohibited from owning land, this restriction did not apply to their children. Thus, in the case of E.H. Hunter, a significant portion of the land he acquired was acquired in the name of his children, primarily in areas adjacent to the mountains, excluding the sites of graveyards and villages. Indeed, it was generally the case that the land used by foreigners in Kobe was concentrated in the hilly areas with good views that did not serve as graveyards or village sites.https://doi.org/10.1002/2475-8876.12412E.H. HunterforeignersKobeland ownershipZakkyochi
spellingShingle Yoshika Yamasaki
Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji era
Japan Architectural Review
E.H. Hunter
foreigners
Kobe
land ownership
Zakkyochi
title Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji era
title_full Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji era
title_fullStr Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji era
title_full_unstemmed Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji era
title_short Acquisition of land by foreigners in Kobe zakkyochi during the Meiji era
title_sort acquisition of land by foreigners in kobe zakkyochi during the meiji era
topic E.H. Hunter
foreigners
Kobe
land ownership
Zakkyochi
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2475-8876.12412
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