Shibusawa Eiichi
The First National Bank building was initially constructed in 1872 as the main bank of the Mitsui group. In the following year, it became the headquarters of the First National Bank ("Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank"), which was founded by Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931) and other businessmen. The building featured a traditional Edo-style structure, but its exterior was in a pseudo-western style. Shimizu Kisuke II, who designed and constructed the building, had practiced western-style architecture in the foreign concession in Yokohama and was Japan's leading house builder. He also worked on structures such as the "Tsukiji Hotel" and the "Mitsui House" at Suruga-cho.