Eyes are glued to the stunning design! 4 modern architecture spots to see in Tokyo

Kosuke Kuroda
2017.03.16
Last updated: 2022.02.18

table of contents

1 Old Furukawa Garden (Kita Ward)
2 Former Iwasaki Residence Garden (Taito Ward)
3 Bank of Japan Head Office (Chuo Ward)
4 Edo Tokyo Architectural Garden (Koganei City)

Tokyo is a city with many high-rise buildings and a modern atmosphere. However, what stands out in this concrete jungle are a number of modern buildings. Many people may find the appearance of modern architecture among inorganic buildings fascinating. This time we will introduce modern buildings that you should see in Tokyo.

Old Furukawa Garden (Kita Ward)

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The first place I would like to introduce to you is the Kyu Furukawa Garden located in Kita Ward. This Western-style building with a strong presence was created by Josiah Conder, an Englishman who worked on famous buildings such as Rokumeikan and Nikolaido. You can enter the interior of the Western-style building by participating in a guided tour, and enjoy a cup of tea while looking out at the rose garden in the tea room inside the Western-style building. In addition to the Western-style building, there are also Western gardens, Japanese gardens, tea rooms, and other attractions.

INFORMATION

name	Old Furukawa Garden
location	1-27-39 Nishigahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo 114-0024
telephone number	03-3910-0394
business hours	9am to 5pm
Closed days	December 29th - January 1st
entrance fee	General: 150 yen Ages 65 and over: 70 yen (Free for elementary school students and younger and junior high school students living or attending school in Tokyo)
URL	http://teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/contents/index034.html
GOOGLE MAP

Former Iwasaki Residence Garden (Taito Ward)

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The Western-style building in this garden was also designed by Josiah Conder, just like the Western-style building in the former Furukawa Garden. It is a prestigious Western-style building with decorations such as British Jacobean style and Renaissance style throughout. In addition to the Western-style building, there is also a Japanese-style building and a baseball club, so if you have time, be sure to check them out.

INFORMATION

name	Former Iwasaki residence garden
location	1-3-3-45 Ikenohata, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0008
telephone number	03-3823-8340
business hours	9am to 5pm
Closed days	December 29th - January 1st
entrance fee	General: 400 yen Ages 65 and over: 200 yen (Free for elementary school students and younger and junior high school students living or attending school in Tokyo)
URL	http://teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/contents/index035.html
GOOGLE MAP

Bank of Japan Head Office (Chuo Ward)

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The Bank of Japan Headquarters, which is designated as one of Tokyo's top 50 architectural heritage sites, was designed with reference to the Belgian central bank. Kingo Tatsuno, who studied under Josiah Conder, was primarily involved in the design. The architectural style is "Nero Baroque architecture," which is a fusion of Baroque and Renaissance styles. We also accept tours of the Bank of Japan Head Office and the Numismatic Museum, so why not take a tour of those as well?

INFORMATION

name	Bank of Japan Head Office
location	2-1-1 Honsekicho, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0021
telephone number	03-3277-2815 (Information Services Bureau: Visit Reception)
URL	https://www.boj.or.jp/about/services/kengaku.htm/ (About visiting the main store)
GOOGLE MAP

Edo Tokyo Architectural Garden (Koganei City)

I want to enjoy modern architecture, but I don't have the time, so if possible, I'd like to see a lot of buildings at once... I would like to recommend this "Edo-Tokyo Architectural Museum" to such people. This open-air museum is designed to protect historical buildings, and more than 30 buildings have been relocated and restored within the park. The park is roughly divided into four zones, but if you want to enjoy modern architecture, we recommend the East Zone and West Zone.

INFORMATION

name	Edo Tokyo Architectural Museum
location	3-7-1 Sakuramachi, Koganei City, Tokyo 184-0005 (inside Koganei Park)
telephone number	042-388-3300 (Representative)
business hours	April to September 9:30 to 17:30 October to March 9:30 to 16:30
Closed days	every Monday
entrance fee	General 400 yen
URL	http://www.tatemonoen.jp/
GOOGLE MAP

This time, we have narrowed it down to four modern architecture spots that you can enjoy in Tokyo. Modern buildings with beautiful designs never fade no matter how many years pass. Please make time for a tour and enjoy exploring the modern architecture.