Page 36 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

Palatial Pads
Over the centuries, the imperial
family’s patronage led to the con-
struction of impressive buildings
across the country. Perhaps the
most famous example is the
Katsura Imperial Villa (p203),
which was originally built as
a princely estate in the early
DISCOVER Japan Your Way the ideal modernist prototype by
17th century. This elegant
mansion has shaped what is
commonly understood to be
traditional Japanese archi-
tecture, but was also hailed as
Bruno Taut, the German archi tec-
tural theorist, in 1937. Book a tour of
the villa and other sights, including
the Kyoto Imperial Palace (p195) and
Kyoto Imperial Palace,
Shugaku-in Imperial Villa (p204), Elegant 19th-century
through the Imperial Household the former ruling
Agency (sankan.kunaicho.go.jp). palace of the emperor
JAPAN FOR

ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is one of the most influential expressions of Japan’s culture
and creativity. Whether it’s the elegant minimalism of the Ise Shrine, or the
utopian optimism of the 20th-century Metabolist movement, the country’s
buildings encompass its multifaceted personality.

Modern Mountains
Roppongi is home to one of Japan’s modern
marvels of engineering – the Mori Tower. This
cutting-edge skyscraper mitigates the risks
posed by earthquakes with 192 fluid-filled
shock absorbers. These semiactive dampers
are filled with a thick oil and, as the tower
begins to sway – as a result of tremor or high
winds – the oil sloshes in the opposite direc-
tion to balance the structure. Another modern
wonder in the capital is the Tokyo Skytree.
Completed in 2012, and designed to evoke
a traditional pavilion, this tower stretches
2,080 ft (634 m) above Tokyo. This latter-day
pagoda is ostensibly a TV broadcasting tower,
but also has restaurants and observation
decks that offer tremendous views of the
city’s incredible skyline.

The Tokyo Skytree
piercing the clouds
high above the city’s
inimitable skyline

036-037_EW_Japan.indd 36 04/02/2019 15:56

EW Themes template v1 – 18th May 2018
Fonts: Posterama Text, Soho Gothic Pro, Soho Pro