A Collegiate Gothic Chapel in Sendai
The Rahäuser Memorial Tohoku Gakuin Chapel (ラーハウザー記念東北学院礼拝堂) is a college chapel of 1932 in Tsuchitoi, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 19, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a reinforced-concrete building of 2 storeys with a basement, and a building area of 619 square metres; registration number 04-0095.
The Chapel at the Heart of the Campus
The Rahäuser Memorial Tohoku Gakuin Chapel is a long reinforced-concrete building running north to south, with the entrance and hall at the south, the pulpit at the north end of a T-shaped chapel, and balconies along both sides and over the hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Miyagi Prefecture says it was built north-west of the main building to designs by the American architect Morgan and constructed by a Tokyo contractor; the cornerstone was laid in July 1931 and the chapel dedicated on March 19, 1932. It is named after an American woman who gave a large donation.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes the Collegiate Gothic exterior, whose tall windows under flattened pointed arches and capped pilasters stress the vertical, and that with the main building it forms the core of the school; it was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the tall windows under flattened pointed arches and the capped pilasters (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to the school's survey report, the stained glass behind the pulpit was made in a London studio in 1932 and imported, and the chapel withstood the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011.
Visiting
The chapel stands on the Tsuchitoi Campus of Tohoku Gakuin (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Tohoku Gakuin). No official information on public visits was found.
Q&A
- When was the chapel built?
- In 1932; it was dedicated on March 19 that year.
- Who designed it?
- The American architect Morgan, according to Miyagi Prefecture.
- Who was Rahäuser?
- An American woman who gave a large donation toward the chapel.
- What style is it?
- Collegiate Gothic, with tall windows under flattened pointed arches.
- When was the Rahäuser Memorial Tohoku Gakuin Chapel registered?
- On December 19, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Rahäuser Memorial Tohoku Gakuin Chapel (ラーハウザー記念東北学院礼拝堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-1 Tsuchitoi, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2014/12/19 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, 2 storeys and basement, 619 m² |
| Owner | Tohoku Gakuin Educational Corporation |
| Public Access | On a university campus (no official information on public visits) |
References
- Rahäuser Memorial Tohoku Gakuin Chapel (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010245
- Registration of buildings in Miyagi (Miyagi Prefecture, 2014, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.miyagi.jp/soshiki/bunkazai/touroku-toushin.html
- Survey report on the chapel (Tohoku Gakuin, Japanese)
- https://www.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/theology/info/pdf/rahauser_report.pdf
- Tsuchitoi Campus map (Tohoku Gakuin)
- https://www.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/en/campusmap/tsuchitoi.html
Last verified: 2026.10.19