A 47-metre span on eight columns
The Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium (甲南女子中学校・高等学校体育館) in Morikitacho, Higashinada Ward, Kobe, is a 2-storey steel-framed gymnasium designed by Murano Tōgo and completed in 1968; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on April 3, 2020 (number 28-0733).
It stands north of the west end of the administration building, with the small physical education office attached at its southwest corner.
Girders laid corner to corner
The interest of the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium lies in its frame. On a rectangular plan, steel tube columns are set in pairs at each of the four corners, eight in all, and the main girders run diagonally between them. The arrangement gives a clear span of 47 metres.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the result as a light, nimble structure. The paired columns at the corners are where the idea shows: a large volume carried on very few points of support.
Dining hall below, gym above
The building is used on two levels. On the ground floor a central corridor runs between the dining hall and a table-tennis room; the upper floor is a single open hall. Sport and school meals are stacked under one roof.
The roof of the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium is clad in metal sheet, and the building area is 1,080 m². It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
Visiting
The gymnasium is used for classes and school events and is not open to the public. The grounds are closed to visitors.
The school's history and directions to the campus are on the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium?
- On the school campus in Morikitacho, Higashinada Ward, Kobe, north of the west end of the administration building.
- How is the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium structured?
- Eight steel tube columns stand in pairs at the four corners of a rectangular plan, and diagonal girders between them span 47 metres.
- What is inside the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium?
- A dining hall and a table-tennis room on either side of a central corridor on the ground floor, and a single open hall upstairs.
- When was the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium registered as a cultural property?
- On April 3, 2020, as Registered Tangible Cultural Property number 28-0733. It was built in 1968 to a design by Murano Tōgo.
- Can visitors see the Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium?
- No. It is a school facility and the grounds are closed to the public.
Basic Information
| Name | Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium (甲南女子中学校・高等学校体育館) |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-4-1 Morikitacho, Higashinada Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 28-0733 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2020/04/03 (Reiwa 2) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Steel frame, 2 storeys, metal sheet roof; building area 1,080 m² |
| Owner | Konan Joshi Gakuen (school corporation) |
| Public Access | Not open to the public (school facility) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013289
- Cultural Heritage Online — Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School Gymnasium
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/401058
- University Press Center — Konan Girls' Junior and Senior High School buildings to be registered as cultural properties
- https://digitalpr.jp/r/36065
Last verified: 2026.10.07
