Asakusa

Located on a busy intersection site, the land was purchased by the city to house a tourist information center just across the street from Senso-ji Temple‘s Kaminarimon Gate. Since 1985, the multilingual information center has been attracting visitors. You can receive service in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English.

Since 2012, a new eight-story building has been awaiting tourists which is itself an architectural work of art with an original geometry. In addition to local tourist information, there’s a scale model of the area, a café, and a beautiful observatory offering views of Senso-ji Temple, the Sumida River, the Skytree, and the Asahi Beer Hall.

With its eight floors, it’s not the city’s tallest observatory, but the view of the Senso-ji site is lovely and free, as well as the Wi-Fi and, if necessary, restrooms. An exhibition hall is also an opportunity to learn more. Interested in a guided tour in English? These are sometimes offered on weekends; inquire first.

The building’s design was developed by Kengo Kuma, a world-renowned architect who has created works in China, France, and the Caribbean. Several of his works are in Japan, including the one I also visited: the Nezu Museum.

Why have a square building when you can add relief? Japan is known for its oversized roofs that extend beyond the central portion. This aspect can be recognized in this construction. The facade and side of the building display a different geometry, which is surprising. Indeed, the levels look straight on one side, and on the other side, the floors appear to be on several levels with angles, giving the impression of a stack of houses.

The vertically installed wooden inserts of varying heights add to the asymmetrical shutter. The windows appear full-height, the glass balustrades and the black background give an illusion of emptiness and a sharply angled section. This building is undoubtedly a beautiful marriage of contemporary style with some traditional Japanese elements.  It is remarkable, unusual and consequently, atypical style.

A visit to each level is probably necessary to better understand the geometry and trompe-l’oeil of the building.

The tourist information office closes at 8 p.m., while the observatory is open until 10 p.m.

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