The silver metal dragons are dancing, filling the entire screen.–This is the inside of a Large Helical Device, in the National Institute for Fusion Science in Japan.

“Build the future” is a photography book by NISHIZAWA Joe. He has taken many photos of factories and research facilities. His photos are vigorous and impressive, they have been well established over the world.

Sometimes, human beings build incredibly large and complex structures. The structures somehow have a demonic beauty. You will be impressed by the photography, and the power of mankind. It contains over 100 photos of 7 research facilities, such as the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization and the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel.

Often the science research facilities have restricted areas, “Build the future” includes the photos of these restricted areas. Some areas took over 2 years to be cleared to have photos taken. The photography contains such precious photos.
If you love architecture, take a look the photography book.

You can see some of photos in “Build the future” on NISHIZAWA Joe’s website.

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Tocho Genso: Tokyo Metropolitan City Hall in ruin.

If Tokyo fell into ruins……? Tokyo Genso paints such Tokyo in ruins with a rich imagination.

Tokyo Genso (東京幻想) is a young Japanese painter. You can see his works on the web.


Big site genso : Tokyo big site, it is the place of the biggest otaku event, Comiket.

He paints “Ruins”, but the pictures have no miseries. Rather, they shows the power of nature and a hope.

Akiba genso: Akihabara city in ruin.

The bright pictures comfort people.

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Matsuyama castle is one of the biggest castles in Japan. This castle is built on Mt.Katsuyama, the center of Matsuyama city.

It took about 250 years to complete building the castle. The completion of the castle is 1858, it is the next year of Commodore Perry’s black ship coming. So, Matsuyama castle is the latest castle in Japan.

The castle is preserved the unspoiled looking well. There is many crenels in the castle. The old style stairs are so steep, you have to watch your step to use them.

You can see the Japanese weapons and armors collection, and the exhibition of medieval building technology.

The view from the castle tower is great. You command a panoramic view of Matsuyama city.

To get to Matsuyama castle, you can take a ropeway or lift at the foot of Mt.katsuyama. It walks from “O-kaido” station. to go to O-kaido, you have to take a tram or a bus.

URL: http://www.matsuyamajo.jp/ (Japanese)
http://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/lang/en/sightseeing/castle.html (English)
Admission fee : 500 Yen

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Dogo onsen is known as model of MIYASAKI Hayao movie “Spirited Away”. The classic architecture built in Meiji era, have a presence.

To get to Dogo Onsen, take a tram from Matsuyama station or Matsuyama-shi station to Dogo Onsen station. Dogo Onsen Station is the last station.

Dogo Onsen 2F lounge

The hot spring of Dogo Onsen has a history 3,000 of years old, a legend that two gods(O-kuninusi no mikoto and Sukunahikona no mikoto) take the bath there. There is two kind of bathroom made of stone.; “Kami no yu (神の湯:the hot spring of gods)” and “Tama no yu (霊の湯 :the hot spring of holy ghost)”. Kami no yu is more inexpensive than Tama no yu.

The tea served at Dogo Onsen

Dogo Onsen has some lounges. You can take a break with tea and sweets after enjoying the bath. The lounges have a taste of old Japan, you can feel that you wander into “Spirited Away” world.

The inner of Yu-shin den.

After Dogo Onsen, it’s good to try the local beer. A nice beer hall is next to Dogo Onsen. I’ll introduce it next time.

Dogo Onsen guide :http://www.dogo.or.jp/pc/topics2008/dogo-panf-e.pdf (PDF)

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“Noritake” is famous as a well-established tableware manufacturer. Noriake Co, Ltd, which has manufactured tableware since 1904. Since then, it has been a pioneer as a ceramics manufacturer in Japan.
Noritake tableware is well known for their beautiful designs which employ many styles such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Sinicism etc. The expert craftspeople shape and decorate the tablewares. In Noritake museum, you can look around to see the total process of making the tablewares. Also, you can try painting a dish.

the remains of old Noritake kiln.

Noritake, which was made in pre-war days, is called “Old Noritake”. Their elegant designs are popular all over the world. You can see the large collection of old Noritake as well as modern Noritake.

It is not only tableware that Noritake makes. Noritake makes various industrial goods, such as ceramic filters, electronic parts and grindstones. The museum displays these industrial goods. Many experimental apparatus show the features of these goods well. You can operate these apparatus freely.

the restaurant in Noritake museum.

Noritake museum is large, so you can enjoy it all day. This museum has some shops and a restaurant.

URL: http://www.noritake.co.jp/mori/ (Japanese)
Admission fee: 500 Yen (Shops and a restaurant are free)
Address: 3-1-36, Noritake-shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Japan.

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It was built as a church of The Anglican Church in Japan. The first floor is made of bricks, the second floor is made of wood, and the roof is tiled with a sheet copper. These are ingenuities to make the church quakeproof.
The first floor was for Sunday school and the kindergarten, whilst the second floor was the hall.


Its brick exterior is a beautiful blend of Romanesque and Gothic design, the interior features distinctively Japanese designs appropriate to Kyoto’s climate, such as the bamboo blind in the ceiling. The dark brown bamboo ceiling and wooden clustered columns have an exotic atmosphere.

The bamboo ceiling has an unique atmosphere.

Location: in Museum Meijimura (Inuyama city, Aichi)
URL: http://www.meijimura.com/english/

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Google launched a campaign “My favorit places” in Tokyo and Kyoto on Aug 3. On Tsukiji Honganji temple, The 4 meters of big pin stands. Tsukiji Honganji temple,designed by ITOH Chuta, is known by its characteristic appearance.


The pin has a hole. A movie explaining the campaign is being screened in the hole.

In kyoto, Google put in 50 lanterns painted a pin. Ms.Negoro, the marketing manager of Google, showed the lantern at a press interview.

[via INTERNET Watch ]

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Old Imperial Hotel by Frank Lloyd Wright

Museum Meijimura is an open-air museum for preserving and exhibiting Japanese architectures of the Meiji period (1868-1912). You would think that there are many traditional Japanese style architectures, but most of the architectures are western style.

In the Meiji period, Japanese had a longing for Western culture and some western people came over to Japan. So a lot of Western style buildings were built in Japan during the Meiji period. They have various architectural styles; American colonial, Neo-gothic, Romanesque etc, and also a mix of some architectural styles.

There are a lot of earthquakes in Japan, so the architectures must be resistant to earthquakes. Therefore, some of the architectures look unusual in order to withstand earthquakes.

The tram run in Meijimura. It came from Kyoto.

This museum is very wide, and you won’t be able to see all the exhibits in one day. In the museum, you can use buses, steam trains, and trams. The guides show you around some of the architectures. You can take photos freely.

The engine of the steam train in Meijimura

I will introduce some of architectures in Meijimura. Please see the related posts.:-)

URL: http://www.meijimura.com/english/index.html
Adress: MUSEUM MEIJI-MURA 1,Uchiyama, Inuyama city, Aichi, 484-0000 Japan
(You can access it from Nagoya)

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Admission fee: 1,600 yen.

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The Old British Consulate in Hakodate is in Motomachi Park. It was established in 1859, when Hakodate opened the port. Since then, the consulate has raised the Union Jack in Hakodate for 75 years.
After being in a fire several-times, the consulate was rebuilt in its current place in 1913; designed by the British government Engineering works ministry Construction bureau in Shanghai.

Now, the consulate is open to the public as a memorial hall. The emblem of the gate and the panels that explain the history of the consulate and Hakodate, have been exhibited in the hall. The office, and the living room have been renovated.

In the office, the third consul Richard Eusden, who was the most popular consul among the citizens, is introduced. He was a short man, so he is called “Mame-consul(the consul as small as a bean)” by the Hakodate citizens. His doll has been put on the windowsill, and visitors can take photos and sit down on his chair freely.

address: 33-14 Motomachi, Hakodate city, Hokkaido

View Gingko Telegraph in a larger map
URL: http://www.hakodate-kankou.com/british/index.html (Japanese)
admission fee 300 yen

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Old Public Hall of Hakodate ward is an American colonial style building. The hall exists on top of the MOTOMACHI park. The designer was KONISHI asajiro, who was an engineer of Hakodate ward. The contractor was MURAKI jinsabro, who was the great master carpenter in Hakodate.

The hall consists of a main building and an annex. The main building is made of wood, and has two floors. It is designed symmetrically with an upstairs veranda and skylights. The columns of the center gate, both sides of entrance, and the veranda, have all distinctive caving in the same pattern.
This hall had been used as a lodging of The Crown Prince as well as a public hall, so it has bathrooms and luxurious bedrooms.

Because of the main building’s unusual architectural designs, it was designated as an important cultural property in May 1974. The annex similarly designated in December 1980.
Now, this hall is opened to the public. Some events and concerts are held there several times a year and people enjoy them.

address: 11-13 Motomach, Hakodate city, Hokkaido, Japan

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URL: http://www.zaidan-hakodate.com/koukaido/kou.htm (Japanese)
admission fee 200 yen

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