12/07/2026
Architect J.H.Morgan(1868.12.10-1937.6.6)
Do you know J.H.Morgan? He was an American architect who designed many fine buildings in Japan. He was born in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. He came to Japan in 1920 (Taisho Era 9) to build Marunouchi Building and Nihon Yusen Building as a chief architect for George A . Fuller Company of The Orient Ltd.
Two years later he resigned Fuller Company and opened his own office in Nihon Yusen Building. He saw the devastating damage in Yokohama caused by the Great Kanto Earthquake which occurred in 1923. Since then he had paid careful attention to the strength of the buildings. The current building of the Science Department, in Rikkyo University, built in 1937 is one of his works. It even clears strict quake-resistance standards after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995.
He designed almost 30 buildings all over Japan. About half of them were built and still exist in the Yokohama area. So, he is called the last foreign resident architect in Yokohama. His buildings had a moderate and elegant western style, while he tried to use Japanese materials as much as he could. He built his own house in Fujisawa and had lived there with his Japanese wife, Tamano.
He died at the age of 68 and his grave is in the Yamate Foreign Cemetery whose gate he designed.
History of the Old Morgan House built in 1931
Where is the “Old Morgan House” ? It’s in Daigiri, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
It’s the house built by an American architect J. H. Morgan in 1931. He met a Japanese lady, Tamano Ishii, and asked her to work with him in his office. After the marriage with Tamano, he lived in Ohmori, Tokyo. Then they tried to find a good place to live in which wasn’t so far from their office. Finally, they found a good place in Daigiri, Fujisawa, where they were able to have a view of Sagami Bay and Mt. Fuji.
The house had a Spanish style-like appearance with orange roof tiles and the interior decorating in a Japanese & western style. It had a western style wine cellar, a boiler room for steam heating, a fireplace, and a couple of bedrooms. It also had a Japanese style Tokonoma ( alcove in a traditional Japanese room where art or flowers are displayed ), Ranma ( fanlight ), a bathroom, a hall way and so on. He planted a Himalayan cedar tree in front of the house, which later became a symbol tree of this house, and set up a Rose arch. It’s a valuable building not only as an architect’s private house but also as a model house in terms of the culture and the history of housing in the early Showa Era (1926- 1989).
After Morgan’s death, the house had been passed on to several owners. Since the last owner had big debts, the house was under the custody of a credit management company. One day the Shonan Architect Association searched and found the Old Morgan House surrounded by the woods. It was the private house that Morgan built for himself. The Architect Association understood this house should be reserved as a precious heritage. The buildings and houses which Morgan built are all over Japan. They are well kept by each local government. But his own house is only this one in Fujisawa. At the same time, residents in this area would like to keep the greenery in the 6,000 m2 site. The both united to work for keeping the house and the land. In November 1999, a “ Group to Keep Old Morgan House” was set up.
The group has worked to inform many people about the Old Morgan House. And they asked Fujisawa city and Japan National Trust to own the property. After six years of their activity, the facility was acquired by Fujisawa city and Japan National Trust Foundation in 2005. Soon it was planned to be renovated and opened to the public.
But in May 2007 and January 2008, the house was set on fire and was severely damaged. The criminals are still unknown. Everybody was very disappointed. Since the entrance, the fireplace, the basement rooms for a boiler and a wine cellar remained undamaged, housing experts say it’s good enough to be restored. The Group had a detailed blueprint, too. So, the “Group to Keep the Old Morgan House” set a goal to rebuild the house.
In 2021, the ownership of this facility was moved from Japan National Trust to Yokohama Heritage. Group to Keep Old Morgan House contentiously works with Yokohama Heritage to keep the garden and rebuild the house.
Main Activity of the
“Group to Keep the Old Morgan House”
a) Every third Sunday, 9:00-11:00, volunteers clean the entrance path, w**d the yard and cut the extra trees and branches. Anybody can come and join.
b) Every third Sunday,12:00-15:00, the garden is opened to the public.
c) Every 8th day of a month 10:00-15:00, the garden is opened to the public.
Tall trees, seasonal flowers, birds’ singing and cool breeze might please you. We also hold a variety of small events such as chorus, musical performances,
play, magic shows, indigo dyeing, puppet shows, bamboo works, bamboo shoot digging, sketching, photo sessions, open air yoga and lots more.
d) Publishing quarterly newsletter
e) Welcome school students in class and sightseeing groups to the Old Morgan
House.
We’re sure that Morgan would be pleased if he saw the people who gather, talk,
study and enjoy in his house and garden. Come and enjoy the lush greenery, nice breeze in this historical site.
Urgent appeal
J. H. Morgan really loved Japan. He introduced a lot of ideas from Japanese architecture to his designing. Especially the Old Morgan House shows the unique design mixing the western and Japanese styles. His private house is the only one in Fujisawa. Nineteen years has already passed since the fires. We hope the house will be rebuilt. If the house is rebuilt, visitors can learn the history and the works of J.H. Morgan with lots of photos, notes and a replica of the old Morgan house. Everybody would enjoy a variety of events such as small concerts, lectures, exhibitions, reading, talks, and lots more in the new house. The house will become the cultural center in Fujisawa City, in the Shonan and Kanagawa area.
The biggest hurdle we have is lack of funds. For the purpose of the fund- raising, we have opened a donation site. The bank account information is shown below.
Please let Morgan’s love come true again. Rebuilding the Old Morgan House keeps this place to be the center for culture, education, health and communication. We need your cooperation!
Donation from overseas
Creditor Bank : MIZUHO BANK, LTD.
Branch : FUJISAWA
BANK SWIFT CODE(BIC CODE): MHCBJPJT or MHCBJPJT### Creditor Account Number 377(Branch No.) – 2897560(Creditor Account No.)
Creditor Name : 特定非営利活動法人旧モーガン邸を守る会
(NPO Group to Keep the Old Morgan House)
NPO法人
旧モーガン邸を守る会
The Morgan House
事務局ご案内
Email: [email protected]
TEL: 0466-25-2076
〒251-0002藤沢市大鋸1096
