Marunouchi Garage Building (1928)
[Japan's first building dedicated to automobile garages]

Within the site of the Marunouchi 1-3 Project (currently under construction, consisting of Mizuho Marunouchi Tower, Japanese Bankers Association, Marunouchi Terrace, scheduled for completion in September 2020), Japan's first dedicated automobile garage once stood on the right-hand side Marunouchi Nakadori Street Nakadori Street, just off Eitai Street. Domestic automobile production began during the Taisho period, and the number of automobiles began to increase rapidly after the Great Kanto Earthquake. According to a survey conducted by the Mitsubishi Limited Partnership Real Estate Department in 1927 (Showa 2), the number of automobiles regularly entering and leaving Marunouchi was approximately 400, with a forecast of an annual increase of 50. This survey was conducted in preparation for the Marunouchi Garage concept. This unique building, which could be described as a hotel for automobiles, was built under a scheme in which Mitsubishi leased the land and the Okura zaibatsu was responsible for management. Marunouchi Garage Co., Ltd. was established at the same time as construction began. At the time, cars were extremely valuable, with only 1,500 cars in Tokyo alone, making this a pioneering business that offered parking space for rent.

The building was a six-story building with a semi-basement made of reinforced concrete, with a total floor area of approximately 1,600 tsubo. It had a capacity of 250 cars, and was designed to be self-propelled with a central ramp, allowing cars to go from the first floor entrance to the sixth floor in one minute. The design drawings titled "New Car Garage" are very interesting, as they show the concept behind designing "Japan's first building dedicated to car garages" in the middle of an office district. First, please take a look at the elevation. It has a stone basement and a cornice on top. It has the appearance of a classical style reinforced concrete office building. If there is anything strange about it compared to the surrounding office buildings, it is that the heights of the various parts of the building are different on the left and right. When you look at the cross section, you can see why. The columns on the floor plan are oval-shaped to make it easier for cars to turn around, and there is a repair shop on the semi-basement floor and a car wash behind the first floor. There are also drawings of the drainage system, fire extinguishing system, and gasoline traps that are unique to multi-story parking lots.