Shōwa

Rising 62 meters above the Sekiguchi neighborhood of Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, the Tokyo Cathedral Bell Tower is a masterwork of postwar modernist religious architecture by Tange Kenzo. With a footprint of just 12 square meters, four subtly twisted concrete faces, four German-cast bells suspended near the summit, and a cross-shaped pinnacle, the tower was designated a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in August 2025. This guide introduces its history, design, and how to visit.

Rising on a hilltop in Tokyo's Sekiguchi district, St. Mary's Cathedral was completed in 1964 to a design by Kenzo Tange and is celebrated as a masterwork of post-war modernism. Discover the eight stainless-steel shells that form a cross from above, the column-free sanctuary lit by a cross-shaped skylight, the bell tower, the Lourdes grotto, and how to plan your visit.

Rebuilt in 1932 after the Great Kanto Earthquake, this reinforced-concrete building on the Etchujima campus wears scratch tile and a great semicircular arch.

Built in 1932 as the campus library alongside Building 1, this scratch-tile structure carries a rounded, ship-like projection at its rear on the Etchujima campus.

Built in 1933 as the main building of the Fisheries Training Institute, this symmetrical scratch-tile structure centers on four vertical pilasters.

Raymond's last prewar work here, finished in 1938 under Sugiyama Masanori. A concrete tower, precast tracery, geometric stained glass, a fan-shaped hall.

Built in 1927 for the family of founder A. K. Reischauer, in the years when Raymond was moving out from under Wright. Its ground floor serves students now.

Built in 1931 as the university library, this white concrete hall closes the axis from the front gate. A Latin motto is cut into its wall, and Wright's echo lingers.

Discover the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law Building No. 3, a registered tangible cultural property designed by Yoshikazu Uchida in 1927. Explore its Gothic arches, scratch tile façade, and the historic Hongo campus.

Completed in 1958, the 333-meter Tokyo Tower was the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower at the time, symbolizing Japan's postwar recovery and rapid economic growth. Designed by structural engineer Naitō Tachū as a masterpiece of earthquake-resistant engineering, it was registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property in 2013. With panoramic views from its Main Deck and Top Deck, seasonal illuminations, and a location rich in surrounding heritage, it continues to captivate visitors from around the world.

Completed in 1959, the Yotsuya Overpass Bridge is a 110-meter steel Gerber bridge that crosses the JR Chuo Line at a 30-degree angle while supporting the curved Marunouchi Line tracks and Yotsuya Station. It became one of the first civil engineering structures in Tokyo registered as a Tangible Cultural Property.

Completed in 1934, the TUAT Faculty of Agriculture Main Building is a three-story steel-reinforced concrete academic building designed by the Tokyo Imperial University Building Division under Uchida Yoshikazu, famed architect of Yasuda Auditorium. Featuring an E-shaped floor plan and a central clock tower, it is registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property and open to the public on weekdays.

Discover Namiki House in Tokyo's Zoshigaya neighborhood — a 1953 wooden apartment registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property, where manga pioneer Osamu Tezuka lived and created iconic works like Astro Boy and Princess Knight.

Nihon Gakuen Building No. 1 is a distinguished reinforced concrete school building completed in 1936 in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. Designed by the renowned architect Imai Kenji — a graduate of the school who introduced Gaudí to Japan — it features a monumental columned entrance and was registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2009.

Discover the Hachijojima History and Folklore Museum, a nationally registered tangible cultural property built in 1939. Housed in a Western-style wooden government building on Hachijojima Island, the museum showcases the island's exile history, Kihachijo silk, and Jomon-era artifacts. Reopened in October 2025 after major renovations.

Discover Blue Box House, a 1971 Registered Tangible Cultural Property in Tokyo's Setagaya designed by acclaimed architect Mayumi Miyawaki—a cantilevered blue cube floating over the Kokubunji cliff line and an iconic example of his celebrated Box Series.

At a quiet corner of Kyobashi in central Tokyo stands the Mayuyama Ryusendo Store, a 1960 masterpiece by architect Kenzo Tohata. With its andesite frame and lustrous black lacquer walls, this Registered Tangible Cultural Property houses a century-old Oriental antiquities dealer and embodies Tokyo's postwar commercial revival.

The Kengyo no Ma at the Miyagi Michio Memorial Hall in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, is the personal study where the blind koto virtuoso Miyagi Michio — composer of the iconic "Haru no Umi" (Spring Sea) — spent his final creative years. Built in 1948, this elegant single-story wooden building was registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2011 for its refined traditional architectural design.

Museum 1999 (Former Chiba Tsunegoro Residence), located behind Aoyama-dori in Shibuya, Tokyo, is a grand Art Deco mansion completed in 1934. Registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2018, it houses one of the world's largest collections of works by Erté. Discover this rare early Showa-era Western-style residence that survived the Tokyo air raids.

Dr. Mori's House in Honkomagome, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, is the 1951 debut work of renowned architect Kiyoshi Seike, built for Dr. Mori Oto — eldest son of literary giant Mori Ōgai. This National Registered Tangible Cultural Property achieves remarkable functional beauty through free spatial composition and simple materials, marking a pivotal moment in postwar Japanese residential architecture.