In an age when traditional Japanese houses were the majority, seiyo-kan buildings had an exotic image and mysterious atmosphere, and were frequently used as a setting for detective stories.
伝統的な和風住宅が圧倒的な時代に造られた西洋館には、エキゾチックなイメージと怪しげな雰囲気が醸し出され、しばしば探偵小説などの舞台になった。