About Us | Kogatei｜French Dining in Kamakura

Western architecture in Kamakura was influenced by the Ansei Five-Power Treaties, a treaty of amity and commerce between Japan and the United States, signed at the end of the Edo Period. With the signing of these treaties, many foreigners living in Yokohama began to travel to Kamakura as a resort, avoiding the winter cold, escaping the summer heat, or bathing in the ocean.

With the opening of the Japan Rail Yokosuka Line in 1889, the Imperial Family, aristocracy, and other upper-class people began building country villas in Kamakura in the western style. For a time, villa construction almost became a point of competition among the wealth and important people of Japan.

Kogatei traces its roots back to this era. The building was originally built by Seijiro Sho, managing director of Mitsubishi (later becoming the Mitsubishi conglomerate during the war). The building was designed by Kotaro Sakurai, who was most famous for designing the former Mitsubishi Bank Building and the Marunouchi Building. After 15 years of construction, Kogatei was finally completed in 1916.

Kotaro Sakurai was a student of Josiah Conder, an architect who came to Japan in 1877 and taught numerous modern architects in the country. Incidentally, Sakurai was deeply involved in the development of Tokyo’s Marunouchi office and business district. Kamakura grew up with the rise of the country village culture in Japan. In 1923, however, the city suffered immense damage, as it was located near the epicenter of the Great Tokyo Earthquake, which was located off the cost of Sagami Bay.

Despite the widespread destruction, Kogatei escaped with no damage. The town also welcomed in many politicians who moved from Tokyo to Kamakura.

Kogatei still retains records of being used as a villa by prime ministers Osachi Hamaguchi and Fumumaro Konoe, who borrowed the building from Mitsubishi.

In 1937, as Japan began sliding toward world war, Kogatei was acquired by Sadachika Koga, manager of Nippon Tochi-Tatemono. Since then, the Kogatei name has become famous throughout Kamakura.

In 1945, the building was requisitioned for use by the General Headquarters of the U.S. Armed Forces, even serving as a club for commissioned officers at one time. At times, Kogatei has been regarded as one of the buildings that has witnessed Japan’s history.

The name Kogatei became most famous through its relationship with Japan motorsport pioneer Nobuo Koga, son of Sadachika.

Nobuo raced in both two-wheel and four-wheel events, winning the 1,000km Alpen Raly (Tokyo-Karuizawa-Kamikochi-Suwa-Hachioji-Tokyo) race in 1959 in a Prince Skyline with Terumoto Hamashima. Some photos from the time are still displayed inside Kogatei.

Nobuo’s accomplished career was event noted overseas. He participated as a contract driver for Prince Motor Company (now Nissan Motors) in the Belgian Liège Sofia Rally in 1961 and 1962. He was also invited by Honda to work on their F1 development project, and in 1965, he joined development as a member of the testing group.
In 1965, Nobuo Koga drove a Honda S600 in an 82-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring in Germany, winning his class.

While active as a top-class racing driver, Nobuo served as head judge at the Japanese Grand Prix in 1963 at the Suzuka Circuit. He also participated in the Toyo Kogyo (Mazda) races in Europe. In these and other ways, Nobuo Koga had a tremendous impact on the world of motorsport in Japan.
While we at Kogatei value our historical roots, the building was overdue for a bottom-to-top renovation. The construction work was completed in 2015, and Kogatei was reborn as a French restaurant.