Simple but stunning, Kunio Mayekawa's own house from 1942; it's said that this house was the starting point of a great career in modern Japanese architecture

Simple but stunning, Kunio Mayekawa's own house from 1942; it's said that this house was the starting point of a great career in modern Japanese architecture (Photo: Stefan Bauer)

Edo Tokyo Architectural Museum: A Hidden Gem

Seven-hectare open air museum full of suprises

Stefan Bauer May 01, 2013 - 1 min read

Simple but stunning, Kunio Mayekawa's own house from 1942; it's said that this house was the starting point of a great career in modern Japanese architecture

Architect Kunio Mayekawa's house from the outside

Very different instead the house (built in 1912) of Korekiyo Takahashi, a politician during the Meji period

Inside a mix of Japanese and Western style, although Japanese is predominant

Fine paintings on wooden doors

Large windows offer great views into the garden

Apart from private residences there's also a restored downtown area with different kind of shops and a bath house

The shops are not only restored from the outside, but also from the inside; it feels like traveling back in time

The bath house, a typical Tokyo public bath built in 1929; the wall paintings were really cool

The changing room of the bath house, complete with classic ads of the local stores

The Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is a real gem and I don't really know why it's taken me 4 years before visiting it the first time. The grounds of the museum are spacious, right in the middle of Koganei Park, and you can wander in and around typical Japanese buildings from various periods and experience how Japan was like at that time. The buildings include farmhouses, private residences and a complete downtown area with local shops and a public bath—I really recommend to visit.

More info

Find out more about Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum.

Stefan Bauer

Stefan Bauer @stefan.bauer

Living and working in Tokyo, and enjoying it.