Tokyo Cathedral Saint Mary's Cathedral

Eight Hyperbolic Shells and a Cross of Light

The Tokyo Cathedral Saint Mary's Cathedral (東京カテドラル聖マリア大聖堂) is a cathedral that is one of Kenzo Tange's major works of 1964 in Sekiguchi, Bunkyo City, Tokyo, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 6, 2025 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a reinforced-concrete building of two storeys above ground and one below, with a building area of 2,554 square metres, renovated in 2007; registration number 13-0525.

Eight HP Shells and a Cruciform Skylight

Saint Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo, is the cathedral of a church on the Mejirodai heights; its exterior is formed of eight hyperbolic-paraboloid shells leaned together, and the glass strips where they meet run up into a cross-shaped skylight at the top (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Soft light falls from the apex into an interior of marble floors and swelling walls of exposed concrete (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Bunkyo City says it was built in 1964 to a design by Kenzo Tange.

Why It Was Registered

The Agency notes it as one of Kenzo Tange's major works, and registered it as a model of design.

What to Look For

Look for the eight shells outside and the light falling from the cruciform skylight inside (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Visiting

It is owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo (Agency for Cultural Affairs). 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. The cathedral and bell tower are introduced together on the Tokyo Cathedral page.