100128-0012 - First National Bank

Kaiunkyo Bridge (海運橋) over the Momijigawa River (楓川), and the First National Bank of Japan (第一国立銀行, Daiichi Kokuritsu Ginko), Kabuto-cho, Nihonbashi, Tokyo.

The pseudo-western building was designed by Kisuke Shimizu II (二代清水喜助, 1815-1881) and completed in 1872 (Meiji 5).

The Kaiunkyo was converted from wood to stone in June 1875 (Meiji 8), dating this image to between 1872 and 1875. The building was torn down in 1897 (Meiji 30).

The bank was founded by the Industrialist Eiichi Shibusawa (渋沢 栄一, 1840–1931). In addition to its regular business, Dai-Ichi functioned as a central bank issueing currency on behalf of the government treasury.