Henmi Takashi 逸見享 (1895-1944)
The Imperial Hotel (Teikoku hoteru 帝國ホテル)
Series: One Hundred Views of New Tokyo (Shin Tōkyō hyakkei 新東京百景)
Date: October 1930
Signature: Henmi Takashi
Publisher: Sōsaku Hanga Kurabu (Nakajima Jūtarō)
The Imperial Hotel was constructed by Frank Lloyd Wright between 1915 and 1923. It was a most unique building with strong hints of ancient Mexican architecture in its decoration. In order to protect it from earthquakes, Wright had intended to let it float on the site's alluvial mud, 'as a battleship floats on water'. However, something went wrong and the hotel was left slowly sinking into the mud. It survived the great earthquake, but had to be demolished in 1967. The facade can still be admired in Meijimura (Meiji village), a theme park near Nagoya.