Tokyo is stuffed with impressive architecture — a city that’s constantly renovating and rejuvenating is a city with fresh and imaginative ideas. Kengo Kuma, one of Japan’s most celebrated architects, demonstrates this with boundary-breaking designs that have been met with global acclaim.
Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA) — his company — have left their signature blueprints on the fabric of the metropolis. The buildings shine with timber, dynamic eaves, incredible silhouettes, and above all, the ability to effortlessly harmonize with the neighboring environment. We’ve highlighted some of our personal Tokyo favorites from KKAA below, but we suggest going to see the works in person for the full impact. It makes for a great walking tour or two.
Kengo Kuma fan? Don’t miss the opportunity to join an intimate discussion with the master architect himself on November 7, 2024, at the Japan National Stadium.
1. Japan National Stadium
ShinjukuOver 1000 drones hovered above the spectator-less Japan National Stadium as Tokyo welcomed the belated 2020 Olympic Games. The plan to tear down the old National Stadium and rebuild it anew was set in motion in 2012 when Tokyo put in its bid for the Olympics. It jumped from a few contractors and architects before landing in the laps of Taisei Cooperation, Azusa Sekkei Co., Ltd, and Kengo Kuma and Associates.
The stadium was built not to stand out, but to blend into its surroundings, like a powerful tree rooted between Meiji Jingu Shrine and the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Plenty of flora was planted, the roof was made flat, and the height was limited to only around 47 meters. But the most distinct part of the Japan National Stadium is the eaves. They are crafted using timber from every prefecture in Japan, and the attention to detail is incredible, with each piece pointing to the direction from where it was grown.
Japan National Stadium tours
See the Japan National Stadium inside and out on these three special tours:
- Kengo Kuma and Rie Qudan Talk Show (November 7, 2024): Walk through the stadium, listen to a talk by Kengo Kuma and Rie Qudan (with English interpretation and Q&A), and eat a Michelin Green Star lunch.
- Karate, calligraphy, and first-class chefs (November 6 and 18–20, 2024): See the stadium’s secret areas reserved for VIPs while also enjoying a luxurious meal and cultural experiences.
- Christmas lunch with Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai (December 21–22, 2024): Enter the stadium’s VIP lounge and be dazzled by a live piano performance and meal by Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai.
Other tours at different price points are available year-round on the official website.
2. Nezu Museum
MinatoThe delicate decor and architecture of the Nezu Museum, as well as its collection of some of Asia’s best pre-modern artwork, often earns it the label of a “hidden gem” in Tokyo.
The Nezu Museum was transformed in 2009 from its old facade to a brand-new one courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates. As with many KKAA projects, the main structure complements the outdoor Japanese garden, through floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a bamboo-lined approach, and the use of natural cork elements. It is a calm respite in contrast to the nearby shoppers sprinting from one fancy Omotesandō shop to another.
3. Shibuya Scramble Square
ShibuyaIt’s hard to remember a Shibuya landscape where the towering Shibuya Scramble Square wasn’t a feature.
As the highest building in Shibuya, the complex — which includes shops, restaurants, offices, and the Shibuya Sky Observation Deck — was a ginormous project and an impressive feat when it opened to the public in 2019. Several architecture firms worked on the venture, including Kengo Kuma and Associates. Kuma’s touch is subtly displayed on the southern facade, which sees a snaking green trellis.
4. AEAJ Green Terrace
ShibuyaLight bounces off the AEAJ Green Terrace building and merges with the sky (beautiful to witness, but difficult to photograph).
Here the use of wood, a signature of KKAA buildings, is found in the interior rather than the exterior — for a very important reason. The AEAJ (Aroma Environment Association of Japan) promotes aromatherapy. The scent leaping off the jigsaw of Japanese cypress emphasizes the power of natural essential oils.
For further scent exploration, they have an Aroma Lounge, Library, Laboratory, and Corridor. Reservations cost ¥500 for non-members, but this does get you a bag of tea and access to a terrace overlooking the nearby Jingumae woods.
5. Sunny Hills
MinatoSunny Hills is a store that invites you to stare at its extraordinary surface. KKAA created its matchstick-like-house appearance using jigoku-gumi, an interlocking Japanese woodworking technique.
The store sells pineapple, banana, and apple cakes from Taiwan, and there is even a wooden apple sunken into the stairs. If you want to traverse the second and third floors of the building, where there is information about its design and a chance to sample some complimentary cake, you’ll need to buy something at the first-floor shop.
6. One@Tokyo Hotel
SumidaOne@Tokyo Hotel is the only hotel on this list. Kuma once again uses timber as a defining material, with slabs framing the entrance, almost ready to drop. The rooftop is equally impressive and continues the theme — with an added killer view of Tokyo Skytree.
But it’s not all about wood. The rest of the facade, as well as the first-floor restaurant’s exposed ceiling, pays homage to the surrounding area of Oshiage, which was once crammed with small factories.
7. JP Tower
ChiyodaThe JP Tower looks a bit different from the rest of this list and that’s because it is both a preservation and renovation project. Originally designed by Tetsuro Yoshida and completed in 1933, during the renovation, Kengo Kuma and Associates decided to use glass and reflections to enhance the original octagonal shape and breathe new light into the structure.
Originally Tokyo’s Central Post Office, the first six floors (and the basement floor) have since been transformed into a commercial facility and renamed Kitte (meaning stamp in Japanese).
Pro tip: The deck on the sixth floor has a great view of Tokyo Station.
8. Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
TaitoAsakusa is one of the most famous stops in Tokyo, and just opposite Sensō-ji Temple is the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. Kengo Kuma and Associates made use of distinct layers, like a wedding cake, melting slightly towards Kaminarimon Gate and Nakamise Dori across the road.
Tardis-like (it seems bigger on the inside than the outside), the center’s tiers also symbolize the floors’ different functions, including event and exhibition spaces, and a free observation deck on the eighth floor.
9. Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo
MeguroOne of seven Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in the world, the Tokyo location is the only one to be built from scratch — and it shows.
Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo was designed by KKAA to once again blend into its surroundings. Its placement along Meguro River, famous for its cherry blossom trees each spring, is a pilgrimage for many Starbucks enthusiasts. The use of cedar, hanging planters, engawa (Japanese porch)-style terraces on the third and fourth floors, and overall lopsidedness suit the local flora. Solidifying calmness, its eaves are a nod to Japan’s five-story pagodas.
Inside, the multi-story ceiling encases the main feature — the bronze “cask”. This is where the beans are roasted in front of visitors.
10. Nabeshima Shoto Park Toilet
ShibuyaOne of our more interesting picks is far from just a block of toilets. Nabeshima Shoto Park Toilet, also called A Walk in the Woods, is part of the Tokyo Toilet Project, an initiative to clean up Tokyo’s public toilets with the help of Japan’s most renowned architects.
This park in Shibuya was Kengo Kuma and Associates’ blank page. The cedar exterior is angled like shutters and flows from one block to the next. On the inside, each individual restroom has its own flare with cherry and metasequoia embellishments. The toilets light up at night, making them eerily beautiful (not something we often say about public restrooms).
Future projects
What can you expect from Kengo Kuma and his team in the future? The next major project in Tokyo for KKAA will be Takanawa Gateway City, set to be completed in 2026. The plans see a wooden spiral wrap around the structure from the ground towards the sky, with — of course — added greenery.
Bonus: Other cool buildings in Tokyo
Kengo Kuma may have a foothold in the architectural landscape of Tokyo, but there are also plenty of other buildings and projects to see in the city. See Kenzō Tange’s Fuji TV Headquarters, Yoyogi National Gymnasium, or Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower. Walk around Azabudai Hills or along the storefronts in Omotesandō. Have a look at our walking itineraries for more ideas.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change.
