Former Kawakita Annex (originally the Watsuji Residence)

Annex of Film Promoter who was a Bridge between Japan and Overseas

This annex used to be owned by Nagamasa Kawakita, president of Towa Shoji (now the Toho-Towa Company), and his wife, Kashiko. Starting before the war and continuing after the war, Kawakita distributed numerous European films in Japan, such as À nous la liberté, Les enfants du Paradis and The Third Man. After the war, he introduced Japanese films to overseas audiences at international film festivals. This Japanese-style annex with its pantile roofs is located in front of a mountain and surrounded by black wooden board fences. The house was originally built in the Edo Period in Oyama, Kanagawa, and was owned by the philosopher Tetsuro Watsuji in Tokyo before being moved to Kamakura in 1961. Mr. and Mrs. Kawakita were very cosmopolitan and used this villa as a guest house for film directors and movie stars from overseas. The main building located on the east side of the premises is now the Kamakura City Kawakita Film Museum.