It was founded in 1932 by Kunihiko Okura (1882-1971), a businessman and later president of Toyo University, as the main building of the Okura Institute for the Study of Spiritual Culture. In 1981, Yokohama City received a donation, and after major renovation, the building was preserved. In 1984, it was reborn as the Okurayama Memorial Hall in Yokohama City, and in 1991, it was designated as Yokohama City. It was designated as a cultural property. Since its opening, there have been many community-based events such as the "Okurayama Autumn Art Festival," which attracts more than 10,000 visitors, the "Children's Festival," which is associated with Children's Day, and the "Merry Christmas on a Small Hill" in December. It is popular with the citizens as a cultural facility. It is also used as a location for movies and television, such as the Greek temple-style piloti, the 5th meeting room that retains the atmosphere of the early Showa period, the hall that incorporates the wooden structure of the shrine, and the entrance.