Former Moji Mitsui Club

Completed in 1921 for employees and guests of Mitsui and Co., this half-timbered building reflects the architectural tastes of a port city at the peak of its international trade. The exposed timbers, slate roof, and asymmetric gabled windows draw from German design, while a single-story Japanese annex is attached to the north side. Albert Einstein and his wife Elsa stayed in a second-floor suite for five days in 1922 during their Japan tour; the Einstein Memorial Room is preserved with period furniture and a handwritten letter. Rooms on the same floor display personal items and early editions from Moji-born author Hayashi Fumiko, who wrote about poverty and working women in twentieth-century Japan.