Japanese architecture, buildings in Japan

Japanese Architecture Designs: Japan Buildings

Key Contemporary Architectural Developments in Japan, Asia.

post updated 6 November 2026

e-architect select interesting design-led Japanese Architecture. We cover completed buildings plus new building designs across Japan. Our focus is on contemporary Japanese buildings.

Japanese Architecture News

Japanese Houses

Japanese Architectural News 2026, chronological:

27 October 2026
Kenya Restaurant in Kyoto
Architecture: Fumihiko Sano Studio

photo : Makoto Ito

25 July 2026
Funamoto Dental Clinic, Uchinada, Kahoku District, Ishikawa Prefecture
Architecture: STUDIO ALUC with 2321 Architects

photo : Kenta Hasegawa

1 September 2026
Cross House Sapporo, Hokkaido
Architect / Practice: Yosuke Tomiya Architectural Design

photo : Koji Sakai / Graytone Photography
Each floor is structured around a cross-shaped spatial configuration, with the kitchen positioned at its centre as the primary point of connection. From here, the living room, dining area, staircase and other shared spaces extend outward, creating a clear and interconnected circulation network. Bedrooms, storage areas and other private rooms occupy the four corners, establishing a natural separation between communal and more secluded spaces while maintaining a strong sense of continuity throughout the house.

25 July 2026
Hashima Office, Hashima City, southern Gifu Prefecture (1051 Sugasakai, Hirakata, Fukuju-cho), Chūbu region
Architecture: PERMANENT Co., Ltd. and Atelier Nagara Architects (Joint Design)

photo : Kenta Hasegawa (OFP Inc.)
From the first site visit, the landscape left a lasting impression, with rice fields rippling in the wind as they descended from the surrounding mountains. This strong connection to the natural setting informed the architectural response, establishing a design that draws its character from the rhythms, textures, and identity of the local landscape.
Commissioned as the new headquarters for a civil engineering and real estate company, the project was conceived as more than a workplace. The client envisioned a building deeply rooted in its community—one that would serve as a lasting civic presence and reflect the company’s long-term commitment to the region. Through a careful integration of architecture, landscape, and place, the headquarters is designed to become an enduring landmark, valued by both its occupants and the wider community for generations to come.

13 July 2026
PALETTE Ishikawa apartment complex, Chūbu region
Architects: KELUN

photo : Yasuhito Inamori
The ground floor is arranged as the client’s private residence, while the upper level accommodates three self-contained studio apartments designed for student tenants. The owner’s entrance opens directly into the main living space, establishing a flexible layout that supports both everyday domestic life and future adaptation.
In response to the client’s brief, the entrance and living room are conceived as a continuous, accessible space that can be readily converted into a children’s tutoring centre if required. This adaptability allows the residence to evolve over time, extending its function beyond the home while maintaining a clear and efficient spatial organisation.

23 April 2026
NOT A HOTEL Shikoku, Matsuyama, Ehime, Shikoku, southeast Japan
Design: Estudio Mazara

photo : Studio D121
It sounds like the courtyard is doing more than just sitting at the center—it’s acting as the emotional and spatial anchor of the house. By organizing circulation around it, you’re turning movement through the home into a continuous dialogue with nature rather than a series of enclosed transitions.
The idea of it as a “microcosm” is especially strong. If it reflects the broader landscape—through planting, light, materials, maybe even water—it can compress the experience of the site into something intimate and constantly accessible.

4 April 2026
NOT A HOTEL Setouchi villas, Sagishima Island, Seto Inland Sea
Design: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

photo : Kenta Hasegawa
Surrounded by the tranquil waters of the Seto Inland Sea, NOT A HOTEL’s newest resort — NOT A HOTEL Setouchi — has opened on the remote island of Sagishima. Thoughtfully embedded within the island’s mountainous terrain, the retreat comprises three distinct villas sculpted from the land itself. Constructed using soil sourced directly from the site and shaped through the traditional rammed earth technique, the architecture reflects a deep respect for place, materiality, and time-honored craftsmanship.

20 March 2026
Voco Osaka Central, Osaka
Design: NAO Taniyama & Associates

photo : Kentaro Kumon
Located in the heart of Osaka, voco Osaka is a premier hotel offering a distinctive and memorable stay. Set in the lively Nishi Ward, the property is surrounded by vibrant streets filled with diverse dining options, shopping spots, and entertainment venues. Its prime location makes it an ideal base for both business and leisure travelers looking to explore the dynamic energy of the city while enjoying modern comfort and stylish hospitality.

9 January 2026
Tojiro Knife Gallery, Osaka
Design: Katata Yoshihito Design (L/O)

photo : Masaaki Inoue
KATATA YOSHIHITO DESIGN (L/O), led by Japanese creative director Yoshihito Katata, has been awarded a Dezeen Award 2025 for Tojiro Knife Gallery Osaka. Selected from more than 4,300 entries submitted across over 80 countries, the project was recognised for its clarity of concept, craftsmanship-led approach and nuanced engagement with cultural context.

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Japanese Building News 2025

Contemporary East Asian architectural developments. New building designs / built environment updates.

Japanese Architectural News 2025: Key New Property Designs in 2025, chronological:

17 December 2025
vertex by NOT A HOTEL, island of Okinawa
Design: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)

render : Negativ
The inaugural Vertex hotel will be located on the island of Okinawa. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), the project continues the practice’s longstanding relationship with Japan, which began four decades ago with a series of internationally acclaimed pavilions, buildings and interiors. The design draws on Japan’s distinctive landscapes and urban environments, creative traditions and exceptional craftsmanship, translating these influences into a contemporary architectural expression.

12 December 2025
CCD Tokyo Creative Center, Hirakawachō, Chiyoda-ku
Architecture: Cheng Chung Design

photos : Wang Ting, Boris Shiu
Tokyo, where deep-rooted tradition coexists with an uncompromising spirit of experimentation, remains at the forefront of global design while embodying the distinctive character of Eastern aesthetics. In Hirakawachō, Chiyoda, at the heart of Japan’s political and cultural centre and just steps from the Imperial Palace, CCD has unveiled its Tokyo Creative Center.

5 November 2025
Epsom College Tokyo
Architect: PLP Architecture

images courtesy of architects practice
PLP Architecture has unveiled the design for Epsom College Tokyo, transforming an existing building into a five-storey primary school in the heart of the Japanese capital. Serving children aged three to 11, the school brings the ethos of the historic British institution into a distinctly Japanese context, reinterpreting the traditions of English education through an architectural language defined by creativity, playfulness and craftsmanship.

27 August 2025
Yumenomori House, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Architects: Yodezeen

photo : Dariusz Sosinka
Set within a seismically active region, Yumenomori combines adaptive engineering with a strong sensitivity to its natural surroundings. The façade is articulated with vertical timber slats, terraces and planted garden elements inspired by traditional Japanese landscaping, creating a layered transition between the building and its landscape. Together, these elements establish a harmonious relationship between the built environment and nature.

12 August 2025
Tanuki Noboru Building, Hokkaido
Design: MOTIVE Inc.

photo : Ikuya SASAKI, MOTIVE Inc.
Tanuki Koji Shopping Street is a covered shopping arcade in the heart of Sapporo, Japan, extending approximately 900 metres from east to west. Along this lively pedestrian thoroughfare, the Tanuki Noboru Building occupies a compact commercial site with an unusually constrained urban condition. Buildings enclose the plot on three sides, while the fourth opens directly onto the pedestrian walkway of the shopping arcade, defining both the building’s relationship to the street and the architectural response to its surroundings.

23 July 2025
OND Sauna, Nagashima, Takeo-cho, Takeo City, Saga Prefecture
Architects: AMANE ARCHI

photo : Akinobu Kawabe (helico)
OND SAUNA was conceived as the centrepiece of the ONDPARK complex, a regional revitalisation project set within a natural park in Takeo City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. The wider complex brings together a range of activities focused on exercise, wellbeing, dining and learning, creating a multifaceted destination that connects community life with its natural surroundings.

21 July 2025
VECTORS Office Building, Fukuoka City, Kyushu Island
Design: SAKO Architects

photo : Misae Hiromatsu
VECTORS is a ten-storey sustainable office building in Fukuoka’s Tenjin district, designed by Keiichiro Sako of SAKO Architects. The project explores the potential of mid-scale office buildings within regional cities undergoing rapid urban transformation, proposing a new spatial framework that brings together architectural performance, environmental strategies and urban connectivity.

30 June 2025
Forest Within, Kitakaruizawa, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Architects: Inspatia

render : inspatia

27 April 2025
Czech Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan building
Design: Apropos Architects

photo : BoysPlayNice

22 April 2025
Qatar Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan
Design: Kengo Kuma and Associates

photo : Iwan Baan

19 April 2025
KSA Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Building
Design: Foster + Partners

image : Foster + Partners

26 March 2025
The Matter of Facts, Minato City
Architect: PAN- PROJECTS

20 February 2025
Earthboat V1 Mobile Cabins
Architect: PAN- PROJECTS

photo : Earthboat
Earthboat are mobile cabins crafted entirely from Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), designed to reimagine Japan’s rural landscapes. It addresses the challenge of revitalising the many underused leisure facilities from the late 20th century—such as ski resorts, golf courses, and fishing ponds.

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Japanese Architecture News 2024

Contemporary Architecture in Japa in 2024, chronological:

14 December 2024
TAPKOP House, Teshikaga, Hokkaido
Design: PAN- PROJECTS

photo : Takehiro Kawamura
TAPKOP, designed by London-based architectural design studio PAN-PROJECTS, is a private villa situated in Teshikaga, Eastern Hokkaido.

14 December 2024
Otaru International Information Center, Hokkaido
Design: waiwai

photo : Takehiro Kawamura
The Otaru International Information Center is situated in the historic harbor area of Otaru in Hokkaido, an area that once thrived as the epicenter of Japan’s herring fishing industry.

10 December 2024
Suetomi AoQ Cafe Stand, Kyoto
Architecture: G ARCHITECTS STUDIO

photo : Daisuke Shima
Designed by Japanese architectural firm G ARCHITECTS STUDIO, the Suetomi AoQ Cafe Stand belongs to AoQ, a new brand established by SUETOMI, the renowned confectionery shop in Kyoto.

13 June 2024
Apartments With Dialogues, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
Architects Ryuichi Sasaki/Ryuichi Sasaki Architecture

photo : Takumi Ota Photography
Apartments With Dialogues, Tokyo, Japan

16 May 2024
NOT A HOTEL Setouchi, Sagi Island, Seto Inland Sea
Design: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

render : MIR
NOT A HOTEL Setouchi

2 March 2024
VERTICAL RAINBOW, Tokyo
Design: SAKO Architects

photo : Koji Fujii
VERTICAL RAINBOW in Tokyo building

23 January 2024
MORI no KAISHO, Meeting Place of Forest, Nara
Architect: Tetsuo Kobori Architects

photo © Tomoyuki Kusunose
MORI no KAISHO, Meeting Place of Forest, Nara, Japan

21 January 2024
See Sea Park, Fukui Prefecture
Architecture: Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates

photo : Tomoki Hahakura
See Sea Park, Fukui, Japan commercial buildings

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Japanese Building News

Japanese Architecture News Archive, chronological:

20 November 2023
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pavilion, Yumeshima waterfront, Osaka
Design: Foster + Partners

image : Foster + Partners
KSA Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

8 September 2023
Layered Office, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Design: NoMaDoS

photo : Ito Takamune Photo Office
Layered Office Iwate Prefecture

6 September 2023
TRUNK (Hotel) Yoyogi Park, Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku
Architecture: Keiji Ashizawa Design

photoi
TRUNK (Hotel) Yoyogi Park

6 July 2023
Sumu Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture
Design: tono Inc.

photo : Rui Nishi

12 June 2023
Ohori Terrace, Fukuok
Design: rhythmdesign.Ltd.

photo © Koichi Torimura

7 June 2023
Yamaikarashi Nursery School, Niigata, Nishi-ku niigata-city
Design: Takeru Shoji Architects Co

photo © Koji Fujii（toreal)

5 June 2023
Dogo Hakuro Hotel, Matsuyama
Architects: CHIASMA FACTORY

photos by Shingo Tsuji and Ryuji Shiraishi

24 April 2023
Tsuchinao Shikki in Fukui
Architects: Baum

photo : Naoki Myo

2 February 2023
Tokyo *KIBA, Ikegami, Ota-ku, Tokyo
Architecture: SAKAE Architects & Engineers

photos by Koji Fujii / Yuichi Higurashi
KIBA Tokyo Residence

9 January 2023
Santo Shop, Numakuma-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture
Architecture: UID Architects

photo : Koji Fujii / TOREAL
Santo Shop, Hiroshima

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Japanese architecture design news in 2022

13 Oct 2022
Ideareve Ikegami Music Hall, Ota-ku, Tokyo
Architects: Ryuichi Sasaki Architecture

photo : Takumi Ota Photography
Ideareve Ikegami Music Hall

5 Oct 2022
Tamagawa Takashimaya Grand Patio, Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku
Design: Yuko Nagayama and Associates

photo : Daici Ano
Tamagawa Takashimaya Grand Patio

11 May 2022
Sakuragicho Residence, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Design: Akira Koyama + Key Operation Inc. / Architects

photo : Noriyuki Yano
Sakuragicho Residence, Yokohama Apartments

26 Apr 2022
Irumando, Kodenmacho neighborhood, central Tokyo
Design: Senbunnoichi Inc.

photo : Miho Urushido
Irumando Coffee in Kodenmacho

25 Apr 2022
Kozakai Kifukan Community Center, Kozakai district of Toyokawa, Aichi
Design: Yasuyuki ITO / C+A Coelacanth and Associates

photo : ToLoLo studio
Kozakai Kifukan Community Center

4 Apr 2022
Tokyo Cross Park Vision, Uchisaiwaicho 1-Chome District
Master design and placemaking strategy: PLP Architecture

image courtesy of architects practice
Tokyo Cross Park Vision

22 Mar 2022
Zenbo Seinei, Awaji Island
Architect: Shigeru Ban

image courtesy of architects practice
Zenbo Seinei, Awaji Island Retreat & Restaurant

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Japan buildings + architects updates in 2021

30 Nov 2021
Koji Saryo Produced by Uonuma Jozo, Taki District, Mie Prefecture, Kansai region, Honshu
Design: Transit Branding Studio

photograph : Hitomi Matsuno
Koji Saryo Produced by Uonuma Jozo

16 Nov 2021
Higashitateishi Nursery School, Katsushika City, Tokyo
Design: Aisaka Architects’ Atelier

photo : Shigeo Ogawa
Higashitateishi Nursery School, Katsushika

2 Nov 2021
Escenario Shirokan, Shirokane, Minato, Tokyo
Design: Ryuichi Sasaki/Sasaki Architecture

photo : Takumi Ota Photography
Escenario Shirokan, Shirokane

13 Oct 2021
The Matter of Facts, National Art Center, 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku
Design: PAN- PROJECTS, London

photo courtesy of architects office
The Matter of Facts Tokyo Installation

11 Oct 2021
Square Series #011 Apartment Project
Square Series #011 Apartment Project

30 Aug 2021
Sukagawa Community Center, Sukagawa City, Fukushima
Design: Unemori Architects
Sukagawa Community Center Fukushima

18 Apr 2021
The Playhouse, Aoyama, Tokyo
The Playhouse, Aoyama Tokyo Fashion Store

24 Mar 2021
W Hotel Osaka
Design: Concrete

photograph : marriott international
Situated on Midosuji Boulevard, a new 27-story landmark high-rise, designed by Nikken Sekkei and with a Tadao Ando supervised facade, is the home of Japan’s first W Hotel. Don’t be deceived by its simple black monolith design – inside hides a world of extravagance!

20 Mar 2021
The Clearwater Building, Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan
Design: Seshimo Architects + Peter Hahn Associates

photography : Junji Kojima / 45gPhotography, Aaron Jamieson
The Clearwater Building in Hokkaido

3 Feb 2021
Burnside Culinary Space, Tokyo
Burnside Culinary Space

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Japan property photos in 2020

9 Dec 2020
Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art – exhibition news

images courtesy of architects
Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art

21 Oct 2020
Mado Terrace, Tokyo Apartment Building
Mado Terrace, Tokyo Apartment Building

20 Oct 2020
Rayon Du Soleil, Apartment Building, Tokyo
Rayon Du Soleil

7 Oct 2020
Housing Complex Niigata III, Chūbu
Housing Complex Niigata III, Chūbu

5 Oct 2020
RK Flat, Tokyo
RK Flat, Tokyo Apartment Interior

26 Aug 2020
WORK x ation Site, Karuizawa
WORK x ation Site Karuizawa

7 Aug 2020
ACROS Centre, Fukuoka
ACROS Centre Fukuoka

27 Mar 2020
L’OCCITANE, Bouquet de Provence, Shibuya Crossing, Suginami City, Tokyo
Architects: AtMa inc.

photo : Shigenori Ishikawa
L’OCCITANE Shibuya in Suginami City

7 Mar 2020
NÔL
Architects: CASE-REAL

photo : Daisuke Shima
NOL Restaurant Atelier

8 Jan 2020
Toyota Woven City, Susono City, Shizuoka
Architect: BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group

image : Squint Opera
Toyota Woven City, Susono, Shizuoka

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Contemporary Japanese Buildings Designs in 2019, chronological:

27 Dec 2019
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium – Rainforest Destruction

image courtesy of architects
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium Building

9 Dec 2019
Shinjuku Miyabi Guest House, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Architects: Himematsu Architecture

photography: Kota Nakatake & Shinichiro Himematsu
Shinjuku Miyabi Guest House

6 Dec 2019
Kasho Gyoen Hotel in Hokkaido
Architects: Hiramoto Design Studio

photography: Koji Fujii / Nacása&Partners Inc

23 Sep 2019
Biffi Teatro di Tsumagata Restaurant, Mitato-ku, Tokyo
Architects: Hiramoto Design Studio

photography: Koji Fujii (Nacása&Partners Inc.)
Biffi Teatro di Tsumagata Restaurant

2 Sep 2019
Salon Kusuda Restaurant, Ebisunishi, Shibuya-ku
Architects: Hiramoto Design Studio

photography : Koji Fujii (Nacása&Partners Inc.)
Salon Kusuda Restaurant

2 Aug 2019
Angelo Mangiarotti – La Tettonica dell’Assemblaggi, Italian Cultural Institute, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Design: tomomi kito architect & associates

photo courtesy of Vistosi
Angelo Mangiarotti Exhibition

7 Jul 2019
Hotel Ninja Black in Kyoto City
Architect: Eastern Design Office

photography : Koichi Torimura, Jeffrey Friedl, Takashi Inaizumi

12 Jan 2019
Furusaki Tokyo Office, Nakano-ku, Tokyo
Design: Hiroyuki Niwa with Yuki Imafuku

photographer: Hiroyuki Hori
Furusaki Tokyo Office Building

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Modern Japan Architecture Designs in 2018

12 Sep 2018
Tokyo Parking Tower Competition

7 May 2018
Musashino Art University Museum & Library, Tokyo
Musashino Art University Museum & Library Building

3 May 2018
Ota Art Museum & Library, Gunma Prefecture
Architects: akihisa hirata architecture office

photo : Daici Ano
Ota Art Museum & Library Building

18 Feb 2018
The Japanese Sword Museum, Tokyo
The Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo

2 Jan 2018
Green Triangle – Aoyama 346, Minamiaoyama, Minato, Tokyo
Design: Ryuichi Sasaki + Rieko Okumura/ Sasaki Architecture

photo © Koichi Torimura
Green Triangle – Aoyama 346 in Tokyo

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New Japan Architectural Designs in 2017

30 Oct 2017
Private Resort XIV Toba Bettei in Ise-Shima
Design: NIKKEN SPACE DESIGN LTD

photo : Nacása & Partners Inc.

24 Oct 2017
WADA Sports Shop, Himeji-shi, Kansai region
Architect: KTX archiLAB

photo © Stirling Elmendorf
WADA Sports Shop in Himeji-shi

19 Oct 2017
Blackboard Classroom, Ishikawa, Chūbu region, Honshū island
Design: KELUN

photo : Yasuhito Inamori
Blackboard Classroom in Ishikawa by Kelun

13 Nov 2017
Giant Bubble Installation
Design: studio ENESS

photograph : Larissa LP
Giant Bubble Installation

4 Sep 2017
Gallery in Kiyosato Villa With Exhibition Space, Kiyosato, Hokuto, Yamanashi
Architect: Satoshi Okada Architects

photographer: Koichi Torimura ; Copyrights belong to Satoshi Okada architects Inc., 2006
Gallery in Kiyosato Villa With Exhibition Space

31 Jul 2017
Yoyogi National Gymnasium
Design: Architect Kenzo Tange

Photo courtesy Japan Sport Council
Yoyogi National Gymnasium

9 Jun 2017
Perrotin Art Gallery, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Architect: Andre Fu

photography: Nacas, courtesy of Perrotin Tokyo
Perrotin Art Gallery Building

20 May 2017
New National Stadium Tokyo
Design: Kengo Kuma & Associates

image courtesy of architects
New National Stadium Tokyo Timber

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29 Dec 2016
Gyomin Syokudo Restaurant, Okinawa
Design: Yamazaki Kentaro Design
Gyomin Syokudo Restaurant in Okinawa

29 Dec 2016
ReForm of Garden in Nara
Architect: SPACESPACE
ReForm of Garden in Nara

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8 Apr 2015
Harumi Residential Tower
Design: Richard Meier & Partners, NYC, USA
Harumi Residential Tower in Tokyo

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29 Aug 2013
Hakko Kyoto
Design: Osamu Morishita Architect & Associates
These transparent layers will be like a strong screen which consciously divides one side from another. On the other hand the semi-transparent layers will be like a filter which connects inside and outside.

21 Aug 2013
Step Tower Osaka, Osaka
Architects: EASTERN design office
A stark white ship that sails in the middle of the bustling sea of colors. The ship floating on the ocean suddenly appears in a shopping center.

16 May 2013
Le Comptoir de Fruit et Légumes, Higashiku, Nagoya, Aichi
Design: Kotaro HORIUCHI / KHA – Kotaro Horiuchi Architecture INC

photo from architects
Le Comptoir de Fruit et Légumes in Higashiku
Mini architecture – organic forms built using stacked free-flowing plates to maximise function in a tight space. The counter slides through the wall, while the spiral runs along a smooth curved surface reaching to the ceiling.

18 Mar 2013
Meiso no Mori – funeral hall, Kakamigahara-shi, Gifu
Design: Toyo Ito
Meiso no Mori Municipal Funeral Hall

18 Mar 2013
Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano
Design: Toyo Ito
Performing Arts Centre

11 Jan 2013
Luminous Building, Tokyo
Design: Jun Sakaguchi Architect
Luminous Tokyo
Nine storey commercial building – reminiscent of a spine, a vertebral column formed from concrete, each floor as a vertebra.

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2012

Ring Around a Tree, Fuji
Tezuka Architects
Ring Around a Tree

Sugamo Shinkin Bank Nakaaoki Branch
Sugamo Shinkin Bank Nakaaoki Branch

17 Aug 2012
Yurihonjo City Cultural Center, Akita Prefecture, Honshu, northwest Japan
Architects: chiaki arai urban and architectural design
Yurihonjo City Cultural Center
This is a complex institution composed of Multipurpose Transforming Theater, Library and Community Center. Originally, this project had two sites sandwiching a road. We combined sites by placing an indoor “Gathering Steet” which gives access to each function.

2 Mar 2012
Shima Kitchen, Teshima, Seto Inland Sea, Western Japan
Design: Atelier Ryo Abe
Shima Kitchen
This building was a renovation project to create a venue for arts and dinning from an old vacant house in a village on Teshima, a rural island in the Seto Inland Sea of Western Japan. Around this old house were vacant lands where several other buildings had been demolished a long time ago.

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Japanese Building Designs Archive

29 Sep 2011
Ring Around a Tree, Fuji
Tezuka Architects
Ring Around a Tree
Ring Around a Tree is a small contribution to a historically complex space. Nearly fifty years ago the zelkova nearly died when it was blown over by a typhoon. Not only did it survive, but the tree has grown so large that two adults cannot clasp hands around its base.

18 Aug 2011
Musashino Art University Building
Design: Sou Fujimoto Architects
Musashino Art University Building
This library project was designed for one of the distinguished art universities in Japan. It involved designing a new library building and refurbishing the existing building into an art gallery, which will ultimately create a new integration of the Library and the Art Gallery.

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Japanese Architecture – Major Buildings

Major Architecture in Japan, alphabetical:

Apartments With Dialogues, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
Architects Ryuichi Sasaki/Ryuichi Sasaki Architecture

photo : Takumi Ota Photography
Apartments With Dialogues, Tokyo, Japan

Armani/Ginza Tower, Tokyo
Design: Massimiliano Fuksas Architects
Armani/Ginza Tower
The most important aspect that the architecture practice wanted to incorporate along the internal pathway between the zones is the element of surprise. To seek to incite emotion is as much the remit of the architect as it is of the designer.

Asahikawa garage building, Hokkaido
Jun Igarashi Architects Inc.

Auto Repair Shop, Nigata
Design: Daigo Ishii + Future-scape Architects
Auto Repair Shop Nigata
Since the construction cost was extreme low, the architecture practice adopted a simple box form volume as a minimum size necessary for getting the legal certification. The architects thought that the low cost and the box form were the important characters for the suburbian architecture.

Barn, Nakanojo-town, central Japan
Design: Ikimono Architects＋others
Japanese Barn Building
This information center is on the east side of the plaza where it got off Nakanojo Station. A wide table is put on the room where the wall, the floor, and the ceiling were plastered in white.

Bourou Noguchi, Noboribetsu Onsen
Design: Nakayama Architects
Contemporary Japanese Hotel

Chichu Art Museum, Naoshima, Kagawa
Architect: Tadao Ando
Chichu Art Museum

Chokkura Plaza, Tochigi
2006
Design: Kengo Kuma & Associates

image : Daici Ano

Ceremony Hall, Oita, Kyūshū, sw Japan
Design: Takao Shiotsuka Atelier
Ceremony Hall Oita

Cuadro Nakano North, Tokyo
Architects Ryuichi Sasaki/Ryuichi Sasaki Architecture
Cuadro Nakano North

Forest Observatory, Kyushu Island
Rintala Eggertsson Architects
Forest Observatory

Fragile Shelter, Sapporo, north Japan
Hidemi Nishida
Fragile Shelter Hokkaido

French School, Tokyo
albert abut architecture
Japanese Language School

Fuji Kindergarten, Tachikawa, Tokyo
Tezuka Architects
Fuji Kindergarten

GR230, Kimobetsu
code ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
GR230

Gamo Sapporo
Edward Suzuki Associates

Ginza Natsuno R Building, Tokyo
TNA Architects
Ginza Natsuno R Building

HA Tower, Tokyo
Design: Frontoffice + François Blanciak Architect
HA Tower Tokyo
The HA tower proposes a hybrid model for urban life that embraces the city, pulling it in the heart of the units, while still offering large open spaces that otherwise are only available on the urban fringe. Located in Higashi-Azabu, within walking distance of a cluster of rail lines, Shiba Park, and the iconic Tokyo Tower, the corner site is small.

Hoki Museum, Chiba, central Japan
Design: Nikken Sekkei
Hoki Museum
The main theme of his collection are realistic oil paintings miraculously painted in detail with marvelous technique, so we thought that “gallery” is most suited for these works and should be selected as an archetype of this museum space. Until now, galleries have rarely existed only by itself as an architecture and always has been treated as subsidiary space by architects.

HOTO FUDO, Yamanashi
Design: Takeshi Hosaka Architects
HOTO FUDO

Kakogawa City Office, Hyogo Prefecture
Design: Akira Sakamoto
Kakogawa City building

Kikuchi pocket park, Kumamoto
Design: Takao Shiotsuka Atelier
Kikuchi pocket park

Konoha Mall, Hashimoto, southern Japan
The Jerde Partnership Architects
Japanese Retail Building, Hashimoto

Kuramure Hotel, Otaru
Nakayama Architects
Kuramure Hotel

Kure City Ondo Civic Center, Hiroshima
Kengo Kuma & Associates
Japanese Civic Center

Kyoto Library Building, central Japan
Iida archiship studio
Kyoto Synthesis Institute

Leaf Chapel, Yamanashi
klein dytham architecture
Leaf Chapel Yamanashi

Memorial Hall building, Yamaguchi
Design: K.Associates
Yamaguchi building
Although it is an alumni hall, it is a place not just for alumnireunions but also for the discussion of cutting-edge themes in the field of medicine. It houses facilities for conferences, meetings, research seminars and lectures.

The Meridian line Ferry Terminal
Design: K.Associates
Akashi Ferry Terminal
This building is intended to be a terminal for a ferry line linking Awaji Island to the mainland. Functionally, it is quite simple and consists of two spaces: a waiting hall with a ticket counter and toilets and a passageway leading to the gate where tickets are presented before boarding.

Millennium Tower, Tokyo
Design: Foster + Partners
Millennium Tower Tokyo
The Millennium Tower in Tokyo presented a timely solution to the social challenges of vast urban expansion and the mixed-use vertical city demonstrated that high-density living can lead to an improved quality of life. Located in a region notorious for hurricane-strength wind forces and earthquakes, the tower’s conical structure is inherently stable.

Mitsumura Office, Kobe-city
Design: Tadashi Suga Architect
Mitsumura Office

Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, Tokyo
Design: Tange Associates Architects
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower

Musashino Art University Building
Sou Fujimoto Architects
Musashino Art University Building

Museum of Hiroshige Ando, Batou
2000
Design: Kengo Kuma & Associates

image : Mitsumasa Fujitsuka
Museum of Hiroshige Ando – no link

Nagoya University Building, central Japan
Iida archiship studio
Nagoya University Building

Namba Parks, Osaka
The Jerde Partnership
Namba Parks

Nebuta-no-ie Warasse, north Japan
molo + d/dt Arch + Frank la Rivière Arch.
Nebuta-no-ie Warasse

On the corner, Youkaichi City, Japan
Architects: EASTERN design office
Youkaichi City Apartments

Pagoda – Tower
Design: Ikimono Architects+ others
Pagoda Japan

Polish Expo Pavilion 2005, Nagoya / Aichi
Ingarden & Ewy Architekci, Poland
Japanese Expo building

Prada Store
Herzog and de Meuron
Prada Store Tokyo

Saint-Gobain Headquarters, Kojimachi
Design: albert abut architecture
Saint-Gobain Headquarters

Sarou Houmura, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Design: Nakayama Architects
Sapporo architecture

Sendai Mediatheque, Miyagi-Sendai
Design: Toyo Ito & Associates
Sendai Mediatheque

SHELL building, Karuizawa, Nagano
Design: Kotaro Ide / ARTechnic architects
SHELL villa

Shin-Marunouchi Building, Tokyo
Design: Hopkins Architects
Tokyo architecture

Shinjuku Gardens, Tokyo
cheungvogl
Shinjuku Gardens Building

Stadium600 building, Nagoya
K.Associates
Japanese stadium architecture

Suntory Museum of Art
Kengo Kuma & Associates
Suntory Museum of Art

Tama Art University Library, Tokyo
Toyo Ito
Art University Library

Tanigami Office + Gallery, Kobe-city
Design: Junya Toda Architect & Associates
Kobe-city architecture

TBWAHakuhodo, Tokyo
Klein Dytham architecture
TBWAHakuhodo Tokyo

Teshima Art Museum
Design: Ryue Nishizawa + Rei Naito
Teshima Art Museum

TOD, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Design: Toyo Ito & Associates
TOD’S Omotesando Building

Tokyo Matsuya Unity, Higashiueno
Design: Hugo Kohno Architects Associates
Tokyo Matsuya Unity

Tower of Winds, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa
Design: Toyo Ito & Associates
Tower of Winds

Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Ehime
Toyo Ito
Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture

United Bamboo Store, Daikanyama
Acconci Studio
Japanese retail architecture

White Blue Black, Tokyo
Daigo Ishii + Future-scape Architects
White Blue Black

Yokohama Port Terminal, Tokyo
Design: Foreign Office Architects
Yokohama Ferry Terminal

Yatsushiro Municipal Museum, Kumamoto
Toyo Ito
Municipal Museum

Za-Koenji Public Theatre, Tokyo
Toyo Ito
Za-Koenji Public Theatre

More Contemporary Japanese Architecture online soon.

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Japanese Buildings – No Images

21_21 Design Sight – Museum, Midtown, Tokyo
2007
Tadao Ando Architect & Associates

Airspace Tokyo, Kitamagome Ota-ku district, Tokyo, Japan
2007
Studio M with Thom Faulders
four storey multi-family dwelling unit with photography studios
open-celled meshwork : dual-layered skins constructed of aluminum & plastic composite material.
Building design: Hajime Masubuchi/Studio M in Japan
Screen design: Thom Faulders, with Proces2 Design in San Francisco

Akino Fuku Art Museum
1997
Terunobu Fujimori + Yoshio Uchida

Aktis Wedding Chapel, Brighton Hotel, Kyoto
2006
Amorphe Takeyama & Associates

Amber Hall, Kuji, Japan
1996-99
Kisho Kurokawa

Awaji Yumebutai, Awaji, Hyogo
2000
Tadao Ando

Billboard building – housing block, Tokyo
2005
klein dytham architecture

Billiard Hall & House, Nagoya
1998
Ushida Findlay Architects

Children’s Treatment Centre, Hokkaido
–
Sou Fujimoto Architects

Chokaso, Tokyo, Japan
1985-87
Kisho Kurokawa

Crematorium, Kakamigahara, Japan
2007
Toyo Ito

Dior Omotesando – Dior Store, Tokyo
2003
SANAA Architects

Echo Chamber, Tokyo
1989
Design: Ushida Findlay Architects

Ehime Museum of Science, Ehime
1991-94
Design: Kisho Kurokawa Architect

F-Town building, Sendai
2007
Design: Atelier Hitoshi Abe

Folly, Osaka, Japan
1990
Zaha Hadid Architects

Forest Park Adatara, Fukushima, Japan
2000
Tom Heneghan – The Architecture Factory

Forestry Hall, Kumamoto Prefecture
–
Taira Nishizawa Architects

Fuefukigawa Museum of Fruit, Yamanashi
1993-94
Itsuko Hasegawa Architects

Fujinomiya Golf Club, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka
1994-97
Kisho Kurokawa Architect

Fukui City Museum of Art, Fukui, Japan
1993-96
Kisho Kurokawa Architect

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, Katsuyama
1996-2000
Kisho Kurokawa

Fukuoka Housing – Nexus World Kashii : Void Space/Hinged Space, Fukuoka
1989-91
Design: Steven Holl Architects

Fukusaki hanging garden – office building, Osaka
2005
Kengo Kuma & Associates

Gotoh Museum, Tokyo, Japan
–
David Chipperfield Architects, UK

Grasslands Agricultural Institute, Kumamoto
–
Tom Heneghan Architect – The Architecture Factory

Grin Grin, Island city Central Park, Fukouka
–
Toyo Ito Architect

Harajuku Church, Tokyo, Japan
2005
Design: Henri Gueydan

Heaven Chamber, Toyama, Japan
–
Design: Tom Heneghan – The Architecture Factory

Heaven Pavilion, Tateyama Museum
1995
Design: Enric Miralles

Hermès Midosuji – store, Osaka, Japan
2007
RDAI – Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima
1988-89
Kisho Kurokawa

Hotel Il Palazzo, Fukuoka
1987
Design: Aldo Rossi Architect

Hotel Kyocera, Kagoshima
1991-95
Kisho Kurokawa

Ishibashi Junior High School, Tochigi
1992-94
Kisho Kurokawa

Issey Miyake shop, Tokyo
–
David Chipperfield Architects

JR Central Towers, Nagoya, Aichi
1999
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC with Sakakura Associates Architects & Engineers
53-storey hotel tower + 51-storey office tower

Japanese Red Cross Society – Headquarters, Tokyo
1975-77
Kisho Kurokawa

Jin office building, Maebashi
2006
Jun Aoki & Associates

Jinchokan Moriya Historical Museum
1991
Terunobu Fujimori + Yoshio Uchida

Kabuki-Cho, Tokyo, Japan
1990-93
Richard Rogers Partnership

Kaizankyo company villa, Wakayama Prefecture
1994
Ushida Findlay Architects

Kanno Museum of Art, Shiogama, nr Sendai
2005
Atelier Hitoshi Abe

Kansai Airport, Japan
1988
Foster + Partners

Kansai Airport Terminal, Osaka
1994
Renzo Piano Architects

Kashima-machi City Hall, Kumamoto, Japan
1995-97
Kisho Kurokawa

Kibi-cho City Hall / Kibi Dome, Wakayama
1993-95
Kisho Kurokawa

Kindergarten, Tachikawa, Tokyo
2007
Takaharu + Yui Tezuka Architects

Kobe Institute, Rokko Mountains
1990-92
Troughton McAslan

Kumamoto Artpolis Park Management Office, Kumamoto
1998
Ushida Findlay Architects

Kumamoto Grasslands Agricultural Institute, Kumamoto
–
Tom Heneghan – The Architecture Factory

Kurayoshi Park Square, Kurayoshi, Tottori
2001
César Pelli

Kyoto Station, Kyoto
1997
Hiroshi Hara

Library, Green Avenue, Tokyo
2007
Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects

Matsumoto headquarters, Okayamao
–
David Chipperfield Architects

Mid Town Tower, Minato-ku, Tokyo
2007
Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
248m high

Midland Square – tower, Meieki distric, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya
–
Nikken Sekkei

Mihara Cultural Centre, Mihara, Hiroshima
2007
Maki And Associates

Miki House New Office Building, Osaka, Japan
1985-91
Kisho Kurokawa

Minami Yamashiro Primary School, Kyoto
–
Richard Rogers Partnership

Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, near Sendai
2008
Atelier Hitoshi Abe

Mode-Gakuen Spiral Towers, Nagoya City
2008
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

Monsoon Restaurant, Sapporo, Japan
1990
Zaha Hadid Architects

Monument to Time, Oshima
–
Benson & Forsyth Architects

Mori Art Museum, Tokyo
–
Gluckman Mayner

Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya City
2008
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

Museum, Tokyo, Japan
–
David Chipperfield Architects

Museum of Natural Science, Niigata
–
Tezuka Architects

Nagoya City Art Museum, Nagoya
1983-87
Kisho Kurokawa

Nakagin Capsule Tower, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
1970-72
Kisho Kurokawa

Nara City Museum of Photography, Nara
1989-91
Kisho Kurokawa

National Bunraku Theater, Osaka, Japan
1979-83
Kisho Kurokawa

National Gallery in Tokyo, Roppongi, Tokyo
2000-05
Kisho Kurokawa

National Gymnasium, Yoyogi Park, Tokyo
1961-64
Kenzo Tange

The National Institute for Japanese Language, Tachikawa, Tokyo
2004
Maki And Associates

National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka
1973-77
Kisho Kurokawa

National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
1959
Le Corbusier

Natural Science Museum
2004
Tezuka Architects

N-Project Gasoline Station, Nagano
1992
Klein Dytham Architect

Odate – Hall, Odate Jukai Dome Park
1997
Toyo Ito & Associates

Oita Agricultural Park, Hayami-gun
1997
Toyo Ito & Associates

Okinawa Prefectural Government Headquarters, Okinawa
1988-90
Kisho Kurokawa

Osaka Castle Pavilions – Toilets & Café, Osaka
2006
Shuhei Endo

Osaka International Convention Centre, Osaka
1994-2000
Kisho Kurokawa

Osaka Prefectural Government Offices, Osaka
1988
Kisho Kurokawa

Oshima Time Temple, Oshima, Toyama Prefecture
1991-93
Benson + Forsyth

Ota-ku Resort Complex, Chisagata-gun
1995-98
Toyo Ito & Associates

Park Museum City
1989
Ushida Findlay Architects

Pavilion for Art Triennial, Niigata
–
MVRDV

PMT Building, Nagoya
–
Toyo Ito & Associates

Reihoku Community Hall
2002
Atelier Hitoshi Abe

Roof house
2001
Tezuka Architects
see Fuji Kindergarten above page

Saitama Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, Saitama
1978-82
Kisho Kurokawa

Sapporo Dome Stadium, Sapporo City, Hokkaido, northern Japan
2001
Hiroshi Hara

Sea Viewing Platform, Toyama
–
Tom Heneghan – The Architecture Factory

Schools Vacation Cabins, Hiroshima
–
Tom Heneghan – The Architecture Factory

Senkantei, Hyogo, Japan
1992-93
Kisho Kurokawa

Shiga Kogen Roman Art Museum, Yamanouchi
1994-97
Kisho Kurokawa

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo, Izumoshi, Shimne
2006
Maki And Associates

Shirasagi Bridge
1995
Atelier Hitoshi Abe

Showroom + store, Kyoto
–
David Chipperfield Architects

Sin Den hair salon, Jingumae
–
Klein Dytham

Softopia Japan, Gifu
1990-96
Kisho Kurokawa

Sony Tower, Osaka, Japan
1972-76
Kisho Kurokawa

Swatch – Retail & Office Tower, Ginza, Tokyo
2007
Shigeru Ban

Takasugi-an : Too-High Teahouse
2004
Terunobu Fujimori

Tateshina Planetarium, Hiroshima
1976
Kisho Kurokawa

Tokyo Apartments
–
Sou Fujimoto Architects

Tokyo City Hall, Tower I, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
1991
Tange Associates
243m high

Tokyo Club building, Tokyo
2005
Yoshio Taniguchi

Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo
1989-96
Design: Rafael Vinoly Architects

Tokyo Tower, Minato-ku, Tokyo
1958
Nikken Sekkei Ltd with Tachu Naito
333m high, based on Eiffel Tower, 30 higher

Tokyo University Library
2007
Shigeru Ban

Too Tall Teahouse, Nagano Prefecture
2004
Terunobu Fujimori

Toyoda Memorial Hall Renovation, Nagoya, Aichi
2007
Maki And Associates

Toyota Auto, Kyoto, Japan
1989-90/93
David Chipperfield Architects

Toyota City Stadium, Toyota City, Japan
1997-2001
Kisho Kurokawa

The Whispering Bridge, Toyama
–
Tom Heneghan – The Architecture Factory

Uniqlo, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
2007
Klein Dytham Architecture

Vertical Horizon, Tokyo
1991
Ushida Findlay Architects

Wacoal Kojimachi Building, Tokyo
1982-84
Kisho Kurokawa

Wakayama – The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama
1990-94
Kisho Kurokawa

Water/Glass Villa, Shizuoka Prefecture
1997
Kengo Kuma & Associates

Wedding Chapel, Osaka
–
Jun Aoki & Associates

White U house
1976
Toyo Ito & Associates

Yokohama Landmark Tower, Minato Mirai 21, Yokohama
1993
Stubbins Associates

Yokohama Sportsman Club, Kanagawa Prefecture
1990
Ushida Findlay Architects

Yurakucho Canopy, Tokyo
–
Dewhurst Macfarlane Engineers with Rafael Vinoly Architects
One of the most considered + beautiful pieces of architecture in years – sublime!

Yusuhara Town Hall, Yusuhara, Kochi Prefecture
2007
Kengo Kuma & Associates

More modern Japanese Buildings designs online soon.

Location: Japan, Eastern Asia.

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Japanese Architects

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA

photograph © 2008 Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA