An Anglican Chapel near Tsuchiura Castle
The Nippon Sei Ko Kai Tsuchiura Saint Barnabas Church Chapel (日本聖公会土浦聖バルナバ教会礼拝堂) is an Anglican chapel of 1930 in Chuo, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 6, 2025 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey reinforced-concrete building roofed in tile and partly in copper, with a building area of 175 square metres; registration number 08-0321.
A Chapel West of the Castle Ruins
The Tsuchiura Saint Barnabas Church Chapel stands west of the ruins of Tsuchiura Castle (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It was built in 1930 and renovated in 2001.
It is a single-storey building with a gabled tile roof running east to west, with the entrance and bell tower on the west and a meeting room on the east (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The walls are load-bearing reinforced concrete, while inside a timber truss roof is left exposed.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes the bell tower, square in plan under an octagonal roof, as the accent of the exterior, and registered the chapel for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the bell tower at the west entrance, square in plan with an octagonal roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Inside, note the exposed timber trusses resting on the concrete walls.
Visiting
It is a working chapel owned by the Kita Kanto Diocese of the Anglican Church in Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on service times or visits was found.
Q&A
- When was the chapel built?
- In 1930, with renovation in 2001 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is the Tsuchiura Saint Barnabas Church?
- In Chuo, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture, west of the ruins of Tsuchiura Castle.
- What should I look for?
- The bell tower with its octagonal roof and the exposed timber trusses inside.
- How is the chapel built?
- With load-bearing reinforced-concrete walls and a timber truss roof.
- When was the Nippon Sei Ko Kai Tsuchiura Saint Barnabas Church Chapel registered?
- On August 6, 2025 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Nippon Sei Ko Kai Tsuchiura Saint Barnabas Church Chapel (日本聖公会土浦聖バルナバ教会礼拝堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-6-I-1 Chuo, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2025/08/06 (Reiwa 7) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, single storey, tile and partly copper roof, 175 m² |
| Owner | Kita Kanto Diocese, Anglican Church in Japan (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | No official information on services or visits |
References
- Nippon Sei Ko Kai Tsuchiura Saint Barnabas Church Chapel (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00015400
Last verified: 2026.10.19