This building, completed in 1915, represents the modern history of Japanese architecture. It features a unique design combining Japanese and Western styles, as seen in a tower rising up from the roof, and a traditional Japanese garden and house on the rooftop. Akita Shokai was a shipping company founded following the trend toward overseas operations after the Russo-Japanese War (1894–95), mainly engaging in overseas trade. It is said that the tower served as a lighthouse at that time.