1930s
About Hayashi
The Era of Fashion in Taiwan
HAYASHI Department Store
History
Historical Introduction of HAYASHI
HAYASHI Department Store was an investment by Japanese businessman Lin Fang-Yi. Born on December 6, 1883 (the 16th year of the Meiji era), in a mountain village in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Lin Fang-Yi lost his parents at a young age. He spent his childhood under the care of his uncle and aunt, but after they also passed away, he was left to rely on his sister and brother for survival.
In 1902 (the 35th year of the Meiji era), at the age of nineteen, he ventured out alone to make a living and joined the Sanyo Railway Co., Ltd. Six years later, he departed to establish his own business, opening a freight transport agency. Still quite young at the time, Lin Fang-Yi closed the company in April 1912 (the 45th year of the Meiji era). That same year, he arrived in Tainan to seek his fortune and was hired as a bookkeeper by Baba Tokujiro, the owner of the Nichigaya Gofuku Store in Tainan. He gradually gained an understanding of the market. Combined with his keen business acumen and skills, after eight years at the Gofuku store, Baba Tokujiro encouraged him to start his own business and provided a residence at No. 2, 1-chome, Omiya-cho (currently the corner opposite Chuan Mei Theater) for Lin to open a small shop. Lin Fang-Yi later opened two more shops, earning his first wealth. Subsequently, he invested in four companies, accumulating the capital necessary to establish the HAYASHI Department Store.
On December 5, 1932, HAYASHI Department Store officially opened, only a few days after the opening of Taipei's Kikumoto Department Store (now demolished), which was known as "The Seventh Heaven." Thus, it became Taiwan's second large department store and the largest modern department store in Southern Taiwan. Regrettably, Lin Fang-Yi fell ill before the opening and passed away in Taipei on December 10, 1932.
Highlights
Architectural Features
In 1924, Kaoru Ide, a graduate of the Department of Architecture at Tokyo Imperial University, took over as the head of the Maintenance and Construction Division of the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan and began to actively promote the development of modern architecture in Taiwan. At that time, influenced by International Style architecture and the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 in Japan, R.C. (Reinforced Concrete) buildings began to become the focus and trend.
The HAYASHI Department Store building is the largest among the shophouses of the "Suehiro-cho Shop-Residence Quick Construction Association." Standing six stories high, the groundbreaking ceremony was held on August 30, 1931 (the 6th year of the Showa era), and construction began on December 14. It was designed by Sutejiro Umezawa, who was then a local technician of Tainan Prefecture and the head of the Tainan branch of the Taiwan Architecture Association. Another of Umezawa's works is the current Tainan Art Museum Building 1 (formerly the Tainan Police Station). Construction was overseen by Sakutaro Tamura, and the building was completed in less than a year.
In the early stages of modern architecture, the public was not yet ready to accept exposed concrete. Therefore, washed granolithic finishes or facing tiles were primarily used as exterior decorations to imitate the texture of stone or bricks. These are now known as grooved tiles (scratched tiles). HAYASHI Department Store utilized both of these forms on its exterior.
The building's interior facilities were remarkably modern and highly regarded for the time. HAYASHI Department Store was equipped with a then-rare elevator and manual rolling shutters. Additionally, the rooftop still preserves the "Suehiro-sha," a Shinto shrine established within the "Company" in 1933.
The Management Team
Management Team
Management Team Koche Fashion Co., Ltd. is an affiliate of the Tainan-based enterprise, Koche Development Co., Ltd. Its subsidiary, Focus Square, was established in 2000. Located in the commercial district in front of the Tainan Railway Station, it serves as a vital gathering point for the youth in Tainan. The building features a high-ceiling design with 13 floors above ground and 5 basement levels. The mall focuses on young trends and fashion as its primary planning theme, leading the latest popular trends and expressing a unique, individual style. It has become a fashion pilgrimage site for the new generation.
HAYASHI is a new starting point for Koche Fashion Co., Ltd. to actively participate in local cultural cultivation and the cultural and creative industries. As a part of the city's industry, it infuses new imagination while combining local characteristics with design talent to create a new cultural window for Tainan, facing the world.
Location
Transportation & Opening Hours
Hours
Monday to Sunday 11:00—21:00
Tel
(06)-221-3000
Add
No. 63, Sec. 2, Zhongyi Rd., West Central Dist., Tainan City
Transportation
HSR
HSR Get off at HSR Tainan Station, transfer to the TRA Shalun Line to Tainan Railway Station, and then take a bus or taxi.
Bus
- Take City Bus Route 1 from Tainan Railway Station and get off at the "HAYASHI Department Store (Zhongzheng Rd.)" stop.
- Take the Red Main Line bus (toward Anping Industrial Zone) from Tainan Railway Station and get off at the "HAYASHI Department Store" stop.
- Take the Blue Main Line bus (toward Anping Industrial Zone) from Tainan Railway Station and get off at the "Zhongyi Rd. (Zhongyi Elementary School)" stop.
Walking
Walking From Tainan Railway Station, walk straight along Zhongshan Rd. to the Tang Te-chang Memorial Park roundabout, then turn right onto Zhongzheng Rd. to arrive at HAYASHI Department Store. The distance is approximately 1,200 meters, taking about 15-20 minutes.
