Yamashiro in Los Angeles, California

Yamashiro, a Japanese villa in the Hollywood Hills, is a significant landmark often overlooked in favor of the Hollywood Sign. Originally built in the 1910s by the Bernheimer brothers as a family home and a place to display their Japanese art collection, it was designed by an American architect knowledgeable in Asian styles with the help of Japanese artisans. The mansion featured gatehouses and gardens with pagodas imported from Japan. After its initial residential use, Yamashiro became the exclusive 400 Club for film industry elites. It later opened as a tourist attraction but closed during World War II due to conspiracy theories linking it to Japanese spies, leading to vandalism and a disguise as a military school. In 1948, businessman Thomas O. Glover bought the property and, upon discovering its original beauty, restored it as a Japanese restaurant. Despite losing some original structures and facing a brushfire, the main villa and its ornate interiors, including the central courtyard, have survived. Yamashiro has been featured in numerous films and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, its future is uncertain as it is for sale for $100 million, leaving its next chapter unknown.