St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo

St. Mary's Cathedral (東京カテドラル聖マリア大聖堂 Tōkyō Katedoraru Sei Maria Daiseidō) is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo. It is located in the Sekiguchi neighborhood of Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.

St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo
General information
Location3-15-16 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku
Town or cityTokyo
CountryJapan
Completed1964
Renovated2007
OwnerRoman Catholic church
HeightCathedral: 39.4 m (129 ft)
Tower: 61.6 m (202 ft)
Technical details
Floor area3,650 m2 (39,300 sq ft)
Grounds15,098 m2 (162,510 sq ft)
Design and construction
ArchitectKenzo Tange
Structural engineerYoshikatsu Tsuboi

History

The original wooden structure, constructed in 1899 in the Gothic style, was destroyed during the air raids on Tokyo during World War II.[1] The present church, designed by Kenzo Tange, was inaugurated in December 1964.[2]

Architecture
One quadrant of the Tokyo Cathedral, 2 July 2003

The layout of the building is in the form of a cross, from which eight hyperbolic parabolas open upwards to form a cross of light, which continues vertically along the length of the four facades. This Tange design inspired the later similar design of the landmark cathedral in San Francisco, also referred to as St. Mary's Cathedral.

To this rhomboid volume other secondary constructions are added, including the baptistry and the baptismal font. The rectangular shapes contrast with the symbolic character of the cathedral. The bell tower is 61.6 m (202 ft) high, standing a short distance away from the main building. The exterior cladding is made of stainless steel.[3] In 2004 a large organ built by Italian firm Mascioni was installed.[4]

  • Cathedral interior
  • Baptismal font
  • Cathedral interior

References
  1. Archdiocese of Tokyo Archived 2014-03-13 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 14 March 2010
  2. "Archdiocese of Tokyo". tokyo.catholic.jp/english. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  3. Udo Kultermann: Kenzo Tange: Works and Projects, Barcelona: Gustavo Gili, S.A., 1989. ISBN 84-252-1400-9. p175.
  4. Mascioni-organs


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