6 of Kengo Kuma's famous architecture: A tour of his works in Tokyo, including museums and cafes

As of January 2020, there are over 200 buildings around the world that feature architecture that makes use of natural materials such as wood, and designs that make extensive use of timber frameworks. Tokyo is the city where you can experience the charm of all of these places at once. Why not take a step into the profound world of architecture touring?

*Business hours and offerings may be subject to change.

[Nakameguro] Enjoy the first taste of Japan at a Starbucks that blends in with the city of cherry blossoms

Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo opened in 2019 as the first Starbucks Reserve® Roastery in Japan, which is equipped with a roasting machine over 17 meters tall and offers a premium coffee experience that starts from the beans. Kuma was in charge of the exterior of the building, which is sandwiched between the Meguro River, a famous cherry blossom viewing spot, and a main street.

While the impressive design will undoubtedly make you want to take photos from the street opposite, the large terrace that extends to the upper floors also makes the restaurant blend in with the surrounding scenery. What catches your eye on the exterior are the hemispherical plant boxes and rain gutters that connect the eaves covered in cedar boards. The overlapping eaves were inspired by the five-story pagoda, while the attempt to make the rain gutters the focal point of the exterior wall was inspired by Katsura Imperial Villa. As it is a popular restaurant, if it is full you may have to receive a numbered ticket and wait to enter. While you wait, you may want to stroll around Nakameguro, where there are many fashionable shops.

Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo

[Minami Aoyama] Experience ancient art at Nezu Museum, which is integrated with the garden

Nezu Museum has a collection of over 7,000 pieces of Japanese and Oriental antique art, including the National Treasure "Irises" (by Ogata Korin). In addition to the special exhibitions held seven times a year in the main building, which has an impressive large roof reminiscent of a Japanese-style house, many visitors come to see the vast garden with four teahouses.

After passing through the gate and going down a long approach surrounded by rows of bamboo to the main building's reception desk, you will be greeted by a beautiful garden through large open windows. The building, garden, and art are all integrated into a tranquil space that is hard to believe is located in the heart of the city, close to Omotesando.

The cafe in the garden, with three glass walls, is a hideaway where you can spend some quiet time while enjoying the seasonal plants. You can also enjoy lunch such as original blend coffee, matcha, and hearty sandwiches. This is one of Kuma's masterpieces, and it has received the BCS Award and the Mainichi Art Award, which are given to outstanding architectural works in Japan.

Nezu Museum

[Kagurazaka] Visit the modern Akagi Shrine, where women's wishes come true

Akagi Shrine has a history of over 700 years. It enshrines Iwatsuo-no-Mikoto, the god of industrial development, warding off misfortune, learning and the arts, and fire prevention, as well as Akagihime-no-Mikoto, who is said to grant women's wishes.

Restoration was completed in 2010, including the Kagura Hall, which had disappeared after the war. As you walk up the slope of the approach to the shrine, you will see the simple shrine building with its roof and pillars straight ahead. The roof is a reproduction of the traditional "Yamato-buki" method of laying two boards on top of each other using steel plates, and the exterior is a "lattice pattern" of plain cypress timber, creating a fusion of tradition and modernity.

Many celebrities visit the shrine as it is said to bring good fortune to the arts and sciences, and the shrine also sells "Kitaro omamori" and "Medama no Oyaji omamori," which were made after Shigeru Mizuki offered prayers at the shrine when "GeGeGe no Kitaro" was made into an anime. In addition, the adjacent Akagi Cafe offers authentic Italian cuisine, and the Akagi Marche, an open-air market, is held once a month, making this a shrine that is deeply rooted in the local community.

Akagi Shrine Office

[Hongo] Kengo Kuma's works can be seen on the University of Tokyo campus

The Daiwa Ubiquitous Academic Research Building, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo, is a three-story research building located close to the Kasugamon Gate on the Hongo Campus. Its exterior, covered with gently undulating scale-like panels made of wood and earth, stands out on a campus where most of the buildings are made of straight lines and hard materials.

Daiwa Ubiquitous Academic Research Center, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo

[Minami Aoyama] Take a break at SunnyHills Minami Aoyama, where you can experience Taiwanese hospitality

This shop specializes in Taiwan's famous pineapple cakes, with its striking exposed wood structure. In addition to being able to purchase sweets and original goods, you can sit down and try a pineapple cake or apple cake and a cup of hot Taiwanese tea as a "Taiwanese-style hospitality" experience.

From the tasting space on the second floor, you can get a panoramic view of Tokyo through the randomly assembled timber, and you can also tour the upper floors. The timber is assembled using a technique called Jigokugumi, a traditional Japanese wooden architecture, and is thin, measuring just 6cm square. During the day, the sunlight filters into the store, creating a calm atmosphere.
The attempt to transform a linear structure into a softer impression by organically assembling small pieces of wood and covering the building is a feature that can also be seen in Kuma's other buildings, and this building won the JCD Design Award.

It tends to get crowded on holidays and during tea time, so it seems like you'd be able to enjoy the building at a more leisurely pace in the morning.

Sunny Hills Minamiaoyama store

[Roppongi] Immerse yourself in the beauty of Edo period art at the Suntory Museum of Art

The Suntory Museum of Art, located in Tokyo Midtown, holds various exhibitions, mainly focusing on Japanese art, with the theme of "Art in Life." In addition to lectures and events related to the exhibitions, the museum also holds a wide variety of educational programs that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including children and adults, including lectures using slides.

The museum's exterior is covered with louvers made of white ceramic panels, creating a quiet and calm space, unlike the bustle of Midtown, lined with flashy shops. Inside the louvers are sliding screens that adjust the amount of light entering the museum depending on the exhibits. The design of these louvers was inspired by the "musou lattice" pattern used in Japanese houses.

You can also enjoy tea on designated Thursdays during the exhibition at the teahouse "Genchoan" located inside the museum. While making use of many of the original materials such as pillars, sliding doors, and ceilings from when the museum first opened in 1961, it was relocated to Roppongi in 2007 and designed by Kengo Kuma. It has been reborn as a modern space where you can sit and enjoy tea while taking in the view of skyscrapers when you open the shoji screens.

SUNTORY MUSEUM of ART

The architecture we have introduced is only a small part of Kengo Kuma's masterpieces, but they still leave a diverse impression. However, what they all have in common is that no matter how distinctive they are, the interiors have a calm atmosphere and the buildings make the most of their surroundings. Walking around the city of Tokyo with the purpose of visiting Kuma's architecture is likely to give you an opportunity to discover the unexpected charms of each area. Why not take a stroll around Kuma's architecture to enjoy the city of Tokyo even more?

First updated: February 21, 2020
*Some content was updated on January 12, 2023.

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