Osaka Station

Osaka station in Umeda district in Osaka, is the main train station in the north of this city.

The station underwent extensive renovations and in 2011, a new north station building opened creating one of the most beautiful stations of Japan.

A large glass roof spans over the railway tracks, this roof has a close resemblance to Kyoto station’s one. Making this two stations compete for the title of the most beautiful one. The beautifully designed roof, provide protection to the elements and provide natural light to illuminate the station area.

The building at the north and south gates contain department stores, shopping complex, restaurants, and green areas.

Although the Shinkansen (bullet train) does not stop here, it’s definitively worth a visit if in the area.

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Cocoon Tower in Shinjuku

The Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower in Shinjuku is an educational complex designed by Tange associates, the company of the late Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. Completed in 2008, it is the second tallest educational building in the world.

The cocoon like structure, hence the name, has an elegant design with white aluminum and dark blue glass. The tower is an eye magnet on the Shinjuku skyline.

The tower was awarded the Skyscraper of the year in 2008 by Emporis. The tower has a visual similarity with another Emporis prizewinner, the Gherkin in London.

The building houses three educational institutions, and the interiors are amazing, unfortunately, I was not allowed to take photos inside.

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Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan

Jiyugakuen Myonichikan “The house of tomorrow” is the original building complex of Jiyu Gakuen girls’ school in Toshima, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most renowned architects of U.S.. Lloyd Wright fascinated with Japan, set up residence in the country for six years, to supervise the construction of the Imperial Hotel. Busy with this project, he accepted the request to design the school only after hearing the founders’ educational philosophy of free education in at-home atmosphere.

In the 90s after a long battle with the government to save the aging building, the government rewrote its regulations so the building could be used after obtaining the “Important Cultural Property” designation.

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Built of wood and plaster, the complex consists of four buildings: the main building at the center, west and east buildings at the sides forming a U-shape, and the Auditorium across the street.

The Lounge Hall in the main building has a big window facing the courtyard. The window frame and crosspieces have a very characteristic Lloyd Wright design. The mural on left wall of the hall discovered after the restoration was painted to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the school, and it is unknown when it was concealed under a thick layer of mortar.

At the back of the main hall, there is the dinning hall, with a beautiful V-shaped pendant light.

A small room between the Lounge and the dinning halls is dedicated to Lloyd Wright, with a display of his most famous designs.

There is a classroom In each of the East and West hall, it is now used for receptions and seminars.

The building was renovated hoping that it will be used for the next 100 years, with its beautiful design I am sure that it surely deserves it.

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Saint Paul’s Festival in Ikebukuro

Saint Paul’s University (Rikkyo University), in Ikebukuro celebrates the school festival in November, where food, music and entertainment are provided for other students and visitors.

The University founded in 1874, with the Ikebukuro building being built in 1918. The school buildings are gorgeous and well maintained, as only a private school can afford to do.

The School library is relatively new, completed in 1960, but its design manages to keep the harmony with the older buildings.

The festival is not so different from other countries school festivals, apart from the menu on the stands, and some of the bands music.

The festival is open to everybody and looking at the attendance, seems like some of the students invited the whole family.

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Prada’s Epicenter in Aoyama

The epicenter building is Tokyo Prada’s flagship store, located in Aoyama in the Minato ward. Designed by Herzong and de Meuron, the winners of the Pritzker prize, and completed in 1999, it has since become ‘a must see’ for lovers of modern architecture.

The freestanding glass and steel honeycomb building has 6 floors and 5 sides, in a diamond/kaleidoscope like shape, that skillfully uses natural lighting to highlight the store interiors.

The glass walls formed of diamond-shaped glass panes of flat, concave and convex shapes, giving the building a very dynamic structure. The shape of the panes provides a sence of a multidimensional space from the inside of the store.

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Little Edo town Kawagoe

Kawagoe city in the Saitama Prefecture is one of Tokyo Satellite cities. In the Edo period, this city located at the north of the great city of Edo (now Tokyo), was called little Edo, and was the location of the kawagoe castle, a close ally to the Tokunaga shogunate, most of the buildings were dismantled in 1870, but some of them remained and now allow appreciation of the period life.

The kurazukuri (old storehouse style) buildings zone. Kura buildings were originally used for storage of household tools, and then due to his fire resistance developed into residential buildings and stores in kawakoe. The zone is lined with 100-year-old culturally significant buildings.

The Toki no kane or time bell tower, used to announce the time since the early Edo period, Even today the bell rings four times a day. The current tower is the fourth version after the tower was rebuilt immediately after the great fire of Kawagoe in 1893.

Kashiya Yokocho or penny candy lane, a narrow street lined with traditional sweets, hard candy, and senbei rice cracker shops.

The Koedo loop bus is a retro-style bus made to match the streets of kurazukuri, provides a convenient way to travel from Kuruzukuri, to other city sightseeing spots.

Stores not only preserver the edo period building, but also the interior is arranged in harmony with the era.

Some of the buildings contrast with the area buildings, as they are from the Meiji period, as the resona bank building, built in 1878 has been designated by the country as culturally significant, other buildings nerby are from the same era.

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