Tange Kenzo. A leading architect in Japan who brought Japanese architecture onto the world stage.

The Pritzker Prize, the “architecture Nobel”, was founded in 1979. From Japan, seven groups (eight people) have won the prize, even though only a single prize is awarded each year. 

I have no hesitation in saying that, without Kenzo Tange, Japan could not have produced such a number of great architects.

Tange played a central role in leading the construction industry after World War 2, and educated superb young architects to follow after him. Now, many of his disciples (Arata Isozaki, Kisho Kurokawa, Fumihiko Maki, Yoshio Taniguchi) are key players both in Tokyo and around the world. And buildings, which Tange designed are still an ornament to Tokyo.

One of Tange's masterpieces, a bold piece of modernism, is Yoyogi Gymnasium.  The Olympic Games were first held in Tokyo in 1964. The monumental Yoyogi stadium was an embodiment and symbol of Japan’s rapid economic growth since the war.

photo: Casa Brutus

<National Yoyogi Stadium> Completion: 1964
Built as a sub venue for the Tokyo Olympic Games. A dynamic curving roof uses a "suspended roof structure." The roof is suspended from two large pillars. As a result, the large interior space is uninterrupted.

Another is Tokyo Cathedral.

photo: Casa Brutus

<Tokyo Cathedral> Completion: 1964

The silhouette that stretches heavenward is reminiscent of Yoyogi Gymnasium. The exterior is made of stainless steel. The entrance doesn’t lead you straight inside, like a typical church. Rather, your route goes round up stairs to the nave. The ceiling has a cruciform sky light, and the mystical light falls on the nave as if leading worshippers to the presence of God.

Here are some others of Tange’s works that we can see in Tokyo. Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, United Nations University, Shinjuku Park Tower, Fuji Television Head Office Building. Each is a landmark of the area where it stands. 

Now, let's take a look at a photo of Kenzo Tange. 

He looks gentle and cheerful. It seems that he really was good at socializing and, at one time, his house was a kind of salon for international celebrities such as Gropius, Waxman, Isamu Noguchi and Charlotte Perriand. Photographs of them all at the house survive. 

It is said that Tange was a very nice person. He treated everyone gently and equally. As an educator, his guidance of Arata Isozaki, Kisho Kurokawa, Fumihiko Maki and Yoshio Taniguchi to the heights of architecture was a great achievement.

Tange also created grand designs of cities on a large scale, rather than just for individual buildings. For example, he designed the visionary schemes for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial park and the Osaka Expo1970.

However, his works in later years, such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building and Unite Nation University are sometimes criticized as “authoritarian gothic.”  The style of his design changed a lot from his works in 1980s. 

I watched these two buildings grow in real time, and remember thinking they were intimidating. Some say that, as Tange succeeded, he was drawn into the circles of power and forgot the spirit of the common people.

It was when I went to Odaiba that I really noticed Tange's greatness. Odaiba is an artificial island and Tokyo's last frontier, developed as futuristic city. Today, it hosts the Fuji TV headquarters building, convention centers, science museums, huge amusement facilities, shopping centers, and so on. 

Certainly, Odaiba has all the necessary amenities, but to be honest, it doesn’t look futuristic, it is just a boring new city. With coherent urban planning, it could have been designed in any way and become something like the Marina District in Singapore. Still among the indifferent buildings, there is one that has a strong presence. That’s the Fuji TV headquarters building Tange worked on. It stands out as a unique beacon in the area.

photo: Tange Associates

If I could go back in time, there is a project I would like to ask Kenzo Tange to undertake. That is the redevelopment of Odaiba. If Tange had worked on a grand design for Odaiba, what would this last frontier have looked like? Even imagining it is exciting! 

An alumna association in Normandy.

I had very beautiful holidays in Normandy this summer.  To my delight, my French friends planned the special trip for me when they knew I was coming to France.  The destination they carefully chose was Trouville-sur-Mer, a superb beach resort a three-hour drive from Paris.

Trouville used to be a small fishermen’s village facing the Atlantic Ocean.  Since the middle of the 19^th century when people started enjoying sea bathing, Trouville had attracted many rich people living in Paris.  There are still a lot of classical Normandy style houses along the beach, which preserve the most appearance of the past prosperity. 

As soon as we got to Trouville, we dropped everything and rushed to the beach.  The water is shallow to a considerable distance from the shore and we were able to walk so far.  We sat on the sand and chatted and laughed a lot until the sunset horizon turned into a flaming red.  (I always wonder why French people are so talkative.  My friend says it’s “because we are French.”  Oh, That’s another story though. ww)

The specialty products of this area are seafood, dairy products such as milk, butter, Camembert cheese, apples, Cider, Calvados, salt and what not.  I love all of these, but if I had to choose the best one, it would be the combination of fresh seafood and Normandy cream.  Creamed white fish and creamed mussels (moules de bouchot à la crème) are especially incredible.  They are just the way I like it, rich and creamy.  I can’t get enough of them.

A few days of traveling together with my friends was exceptional.  We all met after a long time, but we were able to jump the distance of time and soon it was as if no time had passed at all.  It’s like an alumna association, indeed. 

                                    An addition

Small towns along the coastal road are all incredibly beautiful.One of these towns, Honfleur was drawn by many impressionist painters.

↓Thank you very much for your click.

にほんブログ村

A lovely hideaway floating on the Seine

A friend of mine invited me to her weekend house, which is located just outside of Paris. 

On a Friday night, after work, we headed for a tiny island that floats on the Seine.  You may know that Ile Saint-Louis and Ile Cite are also on the Seine, but our destination was a bit farther from the center of Paris. 

About an hour’s drive brought us to the island.  To my surprise, it was a gated community and the way we traveled to the island was beyond my imagination.    Can you guess how?  We landed on the island by rowing a small boat similar to the one we can see at parks.  I was on cloud nine, this was already an exciting start to our weekend. 

The site is, according to my friend’s explanation, a cooperative society and the residents enjoy their holidays in conformity with the rules so that they can preserve its beautiful nature.  There are some sporting facilities like tennis courts and a swimming pool, but except for that, there is nothing artificial and even their houses are made of wood.  That’s quite unusual in France, where stone buildings are most common.

My friend’s house is by the river.  It’s very comfortable just feeling the winds breezing from the river or lying on a sofa in the garden.  These simple things are enough.  There is nothing here, but there is everything to relax and rewind.

During the night, I got out of my bed and watched some cargo boats passing by from the living room.  It was a full moon and as a boat crossed the river, the reflection of the moonlight simmered on the water.  It was so romantic.  I felt that the house was like a boat itself flouting gently on the Seine.  It reminded me of Kenji Miyazawa’s story ‘The night on the milky way train’ or 銀河鉄道の夜.  The boat seemed like it was being lifted up into the night sky.

↓Thank you very much for your click.

にほんブログ村

Tsukishima and Tsukudajima walk

I went for a stroll around Tsukishima and Tsukudajima.  On the face of it, these areas look quite modern with many condos, but there is still something nostalgic in the air. 

■Monja street

When it comes to Tsukishima, it’s nothing but monja-yaki.  I bet that 80% of restaurants in Tsukishima are monja restaurants.  It always smells yummy on so-called monja street.

I found a very interesting object in the back street of Tsukishima.  Here is a question.  Why did they put a floating bridge that combines two houses?  I guess that a young man and a young woman who were next door neighbor each other must have gotten married. How convenient it is!   What is your take on this?

■where a lighthouse was located

Tsukudajima used be a small fisherman's village. 

This lighthouse is a replica of the old one.

■Tsukuda Kobashi bridge and a canel

The huge chimney that you can see over the Tsukuda kobashi bridge is for sentou, a bathhouse.  The residents of the condo must be very happy to have a bathhouse on their premises.  

There is a basin under the bridge.  Interesting contrast with high buildings. 

■tsukudani shop

No Tsukudajima trip is complete without dropping by a tsukudani shop.  Tenyasu, which has 170 years of history, still remains Edo atmosphere.  I bought some tarako (cod roe) and katsuo-no-kakuni (tuna).  Best partners for cooked white rice. 

■ Sumiyoshi shrine

The first Torii of Sumiyoshi shrine is located just beside the riverbank.   It means that people in Edo visited here by bout.  It’s just like the God of safety marine transportation! 

■The Sumida River

My second favorite bridge, Kachidoki bridge, is seen over Tsukuda Oohashi bridge.

■at the bottom of Chuo Oohashi bridge

A bicycle that lost its owner is now having a new beautiful partner.  What a nice second life!

■Amazake yokocho

We left the Sumida River at around Sumida ohashi bridge and headed for Ningyocho to get a train back home.

It was a nice break to have a cup of amazake, at Amazake Yokocho in Ningyocho.  It’s a sweet drink made from fermented rice and it’s also good for your refreshment after walking long time.

■sukiyaki Imahan

“Isn’t it a good idea to have sukiyaki dinner at Imahan in Ningyo-cho?”

“Sounds soooooo good.” 

In the end, we bought just-fried-sukiyaki-croquettes at the deli corner of Imahan and ate at the shop at once.  Umm, yummy!

↓Thank you very much for your click.

にほんブログ村