Part of the printing plant has been recreated in the restored clock tower, which also houses the actual machinery used in the factory

Machine for engraving mother moulds for type casting — Machine for engraving mother moulds

When you hear the name DNP, you get a smart impression, but when you hear the official name, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd, it feels dated. It is no wonder that it smells like Dai Nippon Teikoku (Empire of Japan). DNP was established in 1935, before the Second World War. This was the year when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to unify the notation of Japan's country name in diplomatic documents such as treaties to 'Empire of Japan'.

DNP's head office is still located in Ichigaya, which was acquired by its predecessor, Shueisha, as a factory site in 1886. Although the factory has moved to the suburbs, the Clock Tower, which was the main entrance to the factory and housed the boardroom and other head office functions as well as the sales department, has been restored to its original appearance beside the head office building. Today, in the 21st century, the clock tower has lost none of its striking features and has been reduced to the footprint of the glass-walled headquarters building.

Inside the restored clock tower, part of the former printing factory has been recreated, with actual machines that were used in the past, so that visitors can experience the process of making a book using letterpress printing. The machine in the photograph is one such machine, which produces the letters required for letterpress printing. This machine was used to engrave the matrix, which was used as the mould for casting the type. DNP's Ichigaya plant is said to have had as many as 300,000 matrixes for printing various publications. With that many, it would have been difficult just to keep track of them.

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