Tokyo Cathedral

Tokyo Cathedral

Tokyo Cathedral (東京カテドラル) on the Mejirodai heights in Sekiguchi, Bunkyo City, Tokyo, is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo, whose Saint Mary's Cathedral and bell tower, both of 1964, were registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on August 6, 2025 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Both were designed by Kenzo Tange and were registered as models of design.

The Two Buildings

The cathedral is formed of eight hyperbolic-paraboloid shells leaned together, the glass strips between them running up into a cross-shaped skylight that sheds soft light into an interior of marble floors and exposed concrete. The Agency counts it among Kenzo Tange's major works.

The bell tower rises 62 metres in reinforced concrete south of the cathedral, tapering sharply from a distorted rhombus in plan, with four bells hung near the top (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Each building is described on its own page.

Visiting

Bunkyo City says it is a 10-minute walk from Gokokuji Station and 15 minutes from Edogawabashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, or 1 minute from the Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo-mae stop of Toei bus route Haku 61, and gives the address as 3-16-15 Sekiguchi. No official information on visiting hours was found.