"Famous Architecture Walks on the Yamanote Line"

2022/12/14

"Landscapes of Memory." I believe that one of the roles of architecture is to symbolize the history and culture of a city. For example, the Holy Resurrection Cathedral near Ochanomizu Station. Its exotic appearance, nicknamed "Nikolai-do," still captivates viewers today and has been captured in paintings by many artists, including Shunsuke Matsumoto, who was active before the war. The small wooden Harajuku Station building, which has since been demolished, is also fixed in my memory, integrated with the crowds of young people around it. When people think of the symbol of Keio University, many probably envision the red-brick Old University Library.

While many of these landscapes fixed in memory consist of building exteriors, the core of an architectural tour is the interior visit. This is because through the spatial experience, one can see and learn about the architect's attention to detail, the owner's emotional attachment, and the history of additions and renovations. However, after April 2020, when the world changed completely, architectural tours involving interior visits had to be cancelled, leaving me frustrated at home. As a last resort, I came up with the idea of a walking tour of Yamanote Line architecture. Starting from Takanawa Gateway Station, I decided to walk to each of the 30 stations on the Yamanote Line one by one. As the tours progressed, I began researching unfamiliar neighborhoods and became interested in the undulating topography. By connecting the dots (architecture to architecture), I began to perceive the city of Tokyo as a whole, and my understanding of historical backgrounds and the transition of eras—such as the repurposing of former daimyo estates—deepened. Furthermore, repeat participants who took pride in their walking ability eventually began aiming for over 10,000 steps.

However, as I entered the second round of the Yamanote Line tours, I immediately felt a sense of unease. It was the loss of architecture. Buildings like the Hara Museum, which had transformed a private residence into a contemporary art museum, and the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building, with its randomly stacked box-shaped units, had disappeared from the familiar landscape. I was stunned every time I heard news of the demolition of these architectural masterpieces. What is the lifespan of a building? After thinking about what I could do, I returned to the idea of architectural tours. To etch the current landscape into my memory and listen to the voices of the buildings. To share the spatial experience with everyone. To archive the records of the tours through photos and text. Architectural tours are the lifework I have found.

"Famous Architecture Walks on the Yamanote Line"

Nahoko Wada

X-Knowledge

224 pages, 1,980 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.