The boiler that has supported the hotel's operations in the basement for 54 years.
Two of them were manufactured in 1962, the same year the hotel opened, and one was manufactured in 1972, the same year the new wing opened.
With the renovation work, the Showa era flame that had continued to burn was extinguished.
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This article was created and published on August 20, 2016.
Head to the basement heart of SHIMODA TOKYU HOTEL off-limits to outsiders
The iron door leading to the basement, with an antique-looking doorknob
There are still traces of the facility's history as a refrigerant gas manufacturer when it first opened.
In summer, the temperature is over 35 degrees, so we enter the boiler room in the basement.
Stairs leading to the underground heart of SHIMODA TOKYU HOTEL
Handwritten notices posted
Old tools lined up under the new control panel
In the hot basement, this object has an overwhelming presence!
The boiler called No. 1, manufactured in 1972
Boiler No. 2, manufactured in 1962
Boiler No. 3, manufactured in 1962
Three Showa-era machines that have supported the entire hotel
No. 2, which was installed when the hotel opened in 1962, and No. 1, which was installed when the new wing was added in 1972, have supported hot water and heating for the entire hotel.
No.3, which was installed at the time the hotel opened, like No.2, is currently used exclusively in the kitchen, but was previously used for cleaning linens and uniforms within the hotel.
No. 2 and No. 3 were originally fueled by coal.
You can also see the remains of a shower room that would have been used by the boiler technician who worked day and night to keep the fire burning, as well as the remains of a coal inlet.
It is said that there is no other boiler of its kind still in operation, making it a valuable item in that sense, but it is undeniably old and will disappear as part of the full-scale renovation and renewal of the building.
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The new building, which was added in 1947, has stood for over 40 years and is now called the East Building.
No.1 Maeda Sectional Boiler FB7 Date of manufacture: March 1972
No.2 Maeda Sectional Boiler 5M Date of manufacture: June 1962
A remnant of No. 2 coal inlet, now fitted with a heavy oil-fueled burner.
Remains of No. 3 coal inlet
The desk in the corner of the boiler room exudes a sense of nostalgia, and there are remains of a shower room under the stairs.
Heat exchanger and maze of piping connected to the boiler
The plate for No. 2 shows the date of manufacture as June 13, 1937, and the original fuel used was coal.
Plate No. 1 has the date of manufacture in March 1972, and the amount of oil burned.
The turbo refrigerator that has maintained a comfortable environment throughout the building
The turbo refrigerator that has been producing chilled water for cooling the main building since the hotel opened in 1962
The huge motor of a turbo refrigerator
Mitsubishi single stage turbo chiller plate
Refrigeration units have played an active role alongside boilers
The water from a water tank further below the basement floor is connected to the boiler and the chiller.
In the summer, this turbo chiller produces chilled water which is used to cool approximately 70 rooms in the main building, including the lobby and restaurant.
In 1962, it was still rare for ordinary homes to have air conditioning facilities, and it is assumed that even in hotels, the number of units installed was limited.
According to the maintenance company, there are only two turbo chillers still in operation in Japan, and their service life is unknown as there have been no other examples.
After the renovation, the chiller refrigeration units will be replaced with the latest equipment already in use in the new building (East building).
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SHIMODA TOKYU HOTEL has renovated the entire building to provide even greater customer satisfaction in preparation for its 55th anniversary in 2017. We would like to introduce our 54 years of history, during which we have been supported by many people, and our vision for the post-renovation period.