Magnificent buildings to see in Japan

I’m sure you’re Japan's #1 fan, but I’m also sure you don’t know all these incredible buildings you can see in Japan! Save this article for your next trip if you like design 🤩🇯🇵

💩 SuperDry Hall スーパードライホール

(credits to thegate12.com)

The Super Dry Hall sits next to Tokyo's Asahi Beer Tower and Skytree. Designed by a famous French designer named Philippe Starck, it has restaurants on the first three floors and an event hall called the Asahi Art Square on the fourth floor.

Have you noticed the huge golden flame on top? It’s called the “Flamme d'Or” and represents Asahi Beer's fiery spirit.

No wonder why some people call this building the "Poop Building".🤣

🗼 Tokyo Tower 東京タワー

❓Did you know that before its completion, a special committee held a naming contest? Over 86,269 suggestions poured in from eager participants.

These were some of the names that came up:

• Showa Tower 昭和塔 (the current era was Showa);
• Japan Tower 日本塔;
• Peace Tower 平和塔;
• Space Tower 宇宙塔 (because of the influence of America and Russia's competition on launching satellites);
• Prince Tower プリンス塔 (because of the imminent marriage of Prince Akihito).

However, Tokyo Tower was chosen🥇 (0.26% of people voted for it), and a fifth-grade girl from a primary school who voted for it was awarded a prize of ¥100,000.

🍍 Sunny Hills Building サニーヒルズ

(via @C Y on Pinterest)

Built in 2013 by Kengo and Kuma Associates in Aoyama, Tokyo, Sunny Hills is a very peculiar building that hosts a Taiwanese Cafe. Here, you can try the typical Taiwanese pineapple pie🍍, served in a bamboo basket.

📺 Fuji Broadcasting Center フジテレビビル

(credits to Wikipedia)

Built in 1993 by Kenzo Tange and Associates, the Fuji Broadcasting Center is a landmark in Odaiba, Tokyo. It’s the head office of Fuji Television Broadcasting.

Fun fact: the shape of this building is a 16:9 ratio, which is the same ratio as televisions!

💎 De Beers Ginza Building デビアス銀座ビル

(image via bb-building.net)

Built in 2007, this peculiar wavy-shaped building hosts the main branch of the England Jewellery company De Beers.

🏫 Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower モード学園コクーンタワー

(image via Wikipedia)

This 50-story building was built in 2008 in Shinjuku. It hosts 3 different school institutions:  Tokyo Mode Gakuen (fashion vocational school), HAL Tokyo (special technology and design college), and Shuto Ikō (medical college).

🟠 TOKYO SkyTree 東京スカイツリー

SkyTree is one of the world’s tallest towers (634 meters), built in 2012. It is a television and radio broadcasting tower, but you can visit it and go up to the 450 floor to take pictures of the skyline of Tokyo 📸.

🌊 Osaka Maritime Museum (大阪海洋博物館) – Osaka

(image from Wikipedia)

A stunning, dome-shaped museum floating on the water. It showcases Japan’s maritime history in a futuristic setting.

🏙️ Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス) – Osaka

(image from Wikipedia)

The tallest skyscraper in Japan (300 meters). It’s a mix of shopping malls, offices, hotels, and an amazing observation deck.

🌱 Mirai Tower (旧名古屋テレビ塔) – Nagoya

(image from aichinow.pref.aichi.jp)

The world’s first zero-energy broadcasting tower, fully sustainable and recently renovated.

💊Nakagin Capsule Tower (中銀カプセルタワー) 

Tokyo (Demolished in 2022, but still iconic!)

One of the most famous examples of Japan’s Metabolism architecture, featuring stacked, removable capsule rooms.

🚅 Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building (東京駅丸の内駅舎, Renovation) – Tokyo

(image from Wikipedia)

While originally built in 1914, its 2012 renovation gave it a stunning blend of classic and modern architecture, making it a key Tokyo landmark.

🎭 National Art Center Tokyo (国立新美術館) – Tokyo

(image from Wikipedia)

Designed by Kisho Kurokawa, this museum features a flowing glass façade and is one of Japan’s largest art exhibition spaces.

🏡 Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town (藤沢サステナブル・スマートタウン) – Kanagawa

(image from news.panasonic.com)

A high-tech eco-town developed by Panasonic. It’s a model city that focuses on sustainable living with smart energy systems.

🌱  Acros Fukuoka (アクロス福岡) – Fukuoka

(image from Wikipedia)

A breathtaking "green building" covered in stepped gardens, blending architecture with nature.

Your Sensei,
Hikari 👩🏻‍🏫