Former Moji Customs House
This customs house, built in 1912, replaced an earlier customs office that was built in 1909 but burned down soon after. When its roof was destroyed during wartime incendiary bombing, the building was boarded up and stood empty for many years. The building was restored starting in 1991, and it reopened as part of Mojikō’s historic district in 1995. Today, it is a public space with a fruit-themed café and exhibits on customs enforcement and smuggling, including displays depicting the illegal drugs that officials look for and the many ways that smugglers have tried to hide them.
The building’s design was overseen by Tsumaki Yorinaka (1859–1916), a renowned architect of the Meiji era (1868–1912). The spired dormer windows and carved stone cornices along the roof are both elements of Neo-Renaissance-style architecture, as are the chandeliers. The interior walls were once covered in white stucco, but this was removed to expose the original brickwork.
The building’s third floor has a small observation room in the corner facing the water. It affords a clear view of Moji’s waterfront and sections of the historic district.