Yokohama Local Meteorological Observatory (横浜地方気象台)

The Yokohama station began in 1896, as the Kanagawa Prefecture weather station. After the 1923 earthquake destroyed its building, it moved in 1927 to the Yamate hill, on the site of a former US Navy hospital. The 1927 building is the third oldest weather-station building still in use in Japan. It was designated a Yokohama City tangible cultural property in 2005, together with the stone retaining wall of the hill.

A seismic study was carried out in 2002, then Tadao Ando's office was chosen in 2004, through a call for proposals, for the renovation and extension. The new wing was completed in 2007 and the renovation of the old building in 2009.

The 1927 building is of reinforced concrete, with three storeys above ground and a basement, in the Art Deco style, with strong vertical lines and horizontal lines on the rooftop tower. Ando's annex, also in reinforced concrete, has two storeys above ground and two below; the colour of its walls and its tall, narrow windows echo the old building. The project keeps the original building and the stone retaining wall, so as to fit the historic landscape of Yamate.

When the annex's foundations were dug, the remains of a well from the former hospital came to light; its upper part is displayed in the entrance garden.

The site still houses the regional weather station, which observes and forecasts the weather for Kanagawa Prefecture.

Part of the building is open to the public without booking, on weekdays from 9:30 to 16:00 (except public holidays and the year-end and New Year holidays); opening may be suspended during extreme weather or when the service requires it.