Eyeing Architectural Wonders

Astonishing works of architecture.

What is the genius behind their forms?

And their place in the landscape?

Their presence is commanding.

On "Journeys in Japan,"

we explore wondrous architecture and their design secrets.

Hi. My name is James.

And I'm an architect practicing in Japan.

I've been working with "Journeys in Japan"

to create a series of travel documentaries that focus on architecture.

Among these, there have been some very unique buildings

that have caught our attention.

Like great architecture, they reflect the technology,

and historical background of their time,

the specific character of their place,

and the individuality of the architect.

I would like to take you on a journey to a world of architecture

that will exceed your normal expectations

and reveal buildings

that make us all excited about innovative ideas.

Please join me.

Let's explore this architecture together.

Our first stop is Hiroshima, around 700 kilometers west of Tokyo,

facing the Seto Inland Sea.

This is the island where the Itsukushima Shrine is.

The "floating shrine" is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

When the tide is low,

visitors can walk out to its legendary Torii gate.

So this is the main gateway.

This Torii gate is huge.

To think this was built hundreds of years ago.

Just the scale and the complexity of it.

The joining work is incredible,

and to think that it was built in the middle of the sea right here.

It's just amazing. It's really surprising.

This is the shrine entrance.

The Itsukushima Shrine was first built in the 6th century.

Mount Misen, which rises behind the complex,

is revered as a place where the gods descend.

The entire island is an object of worship.

It was built in the "shinden" hip-and-gable style.

You can see it in the roof.

There is a space between the upper and lower roofs,

for a wing effect.

This is the shinden roof structure.

The corridors connecting sleeping quarters for the nobility

is another feature.

That's the Mirror Pond. At low tide, it reflects the moon and stars.

People may have arranged moon viewing, poetry or sake parties.

The tide is sweeping in.

The vermillion beams against this very bright white ceiling

is just really beautiful.

It's amazing how, right at this time,

the sun is reflecting, creating this gorgeous pattern on the roof.

I would think that perhaps when they built this,

they had this in mind.

This wonderful effect.

Why was the shrine built on the water?

Land is so close. What does it symbolize?

This entire island is an object of worship.

People may have felt it would be irreverent

to place a structure on sacred island,

so they chose the sea.

I would say my strongest impression of Itsukushima Shrine

is the fact that it's surrounded by the sea.

You can walk around on the dry land at one time,

and then it's flooded by water in the next.

I would say that this constant flow of water

accentuates the feeling of being close to nature,

which could be said is a very Japanese tradition.

Wow. What a beautiful bridge.

Kintaikyo Bridge is in Iwakuni, a short trip from Hiroshima.

This wooden bridge was for samurai.

They used it to reach that castle over there.

Originally built in 1673,

it's composed of five sequential arch bridges

that span about 200 meters.

It's a wooden bridge, but I notice the use of metal.

Yes. The history of incorporating iron parts dates back 340 years.

Some three tons of metal was used for clamps and bands.

The Kintaikyo Bridge is made with small section timber pieces.

The iron is used to bind them.

Though iron was expensive at the time, large timber was a luxury.

Builders saved on costs by combining the cheaper timber with metal.

Exquisite silhouette.

Flawless engineering.

Inspired design.

Three hundred and forty years ago, when this bridge was created,

Japan had just ended a very long period of civil battles.

I can imagine that for the people of the time,

that the beauty of the curve structure of this bridge,

it really represented a feeling of peacefulness

that went with the new period.

Depending on the techniques and the materials used,

architects can create forms that we never dreamed possible.

That is the magic of architecture.

Let's take a look at the buildings we encountered

when we visited Kagawa Prefecture.

It is a place that has become a travel destination

because of its fascinating architecture.

Let's go and see.

Kagawa Prefecture is 530 kilometers west of Tokyo,

on the island of Shikoku facing the Seto Inland Sea.

This is the Honen-ike Dam--

the oldest multiple-arch dam in Japan.

Completed in 1930,

it is designated as an Important Cultural Property.

The dam is 30 meters tall and spans nearly 130 meters.

In the old days, local farmers here suffered from severe droughts.

They petitioned the central and prefectural governments

to take steps to tackle this.

One hundred and fifty thousand people worked on the massive project,

which was completed in just four years.

Some farmers engaged in the project launched construction firms,

using the concrete techniques they'd acquired.

You can only come in here when there's no water.

This is my favorite place.

When you look at the walls, you can see metal rods.

In those days they didn't use cranes or trucks.

The farmers fixed their scaffolding like this,

as they stacked up the stones, one at a time.

I like to look up and watch the sky as it changes with the seasons.

A man-made structure that blends with nature.

To me, this dam is simply magnificent.

But also because it has saved people's lives

and we no longer suffer from famine, as our ancestors did.

So, it's very precious.

Next, we hop over to Naoshima,

a small island with just over 3,000 residents.

This cloud-like port terminal sets the stage for our Naoshima journey.

It was designed by SANAA,

Japan's architect duo that won the coveted Pritzker in 2010.

Its design is deceptively simple.

But just look at its slender pillars supporting the large roof.

Houses line crisscrossing alleys.

Inside this 200-year-old home,

digital counters flickering on a pool of water.

Welcome to Naoshima, the island of art and architecture.

This is Naoshima Elementary School. It was completed in 1970.

The hill behind the school is Mt. Jizo.

At 123 meters, it's the highest point in Naoshima.

The building shape follows the angle of the ridge,

so it stands out and seems bigger than it actually is.

Its sloping entrance is another feature.

The modernist style suggests a spaceship.

The school opened in 1970.

The then mayor was impressed by Tange Kenzo's design

for the Kagawa Prefectural Office Building,

which was quite novel.

I think it connects to Naoshima's reinvention

as an island of architecture and art.

I attended this school for 15 months.

I think students were thrilled to study in such an original building.

I think all graduates were proud of it.

Welcome to the Chichu Art Museum.

It's built entirely underground,

so that it blends harmoniously with its site on the Seto Inland Sea.

Please come in.

Hidden under geometric structures,

the museum blends into the natural landscape.

It was designed by world-famous architect, Ando Tadao.

He is behind several significant structures in Naoshima.

This passage leads from the entrance to the exhibition chambers ahead.

Ando is famous for his use of exposed concrete.

And he's given the walls here very beautiful surfaces.

The walls here are tilted at an angle of about six degrees.

As you walk through,

it really makes you feel the presence of the building.

Now, let's continue.

Look around this space

and you will see that Ando has eliminated everything unnecessary.

It's a space that is very simple but powerful.

He's created a kind of sculpture in concrete.

This museum exhibits works by three great artists.

Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria.

They can be enjoyed under natural light within this space

created by Ando Tadao.

Now let's enter the Monet room.

The natural light changes the appearance of Monet's work

depending on the time of day and season.

Ando created this simple space

to perfectly complement Monet's masterpiece.

Even the town hall has a quirky, artistic feel to it.

Art is encountered everywhere.

Even in the most unlikely places.

Come this way.

Please take a look inside.

We worked with an artist to create this bathhouse.

It's very different from any other public bath in Japan.

This bathhouse is called, I♥Yu--"yu" means hot water.

We usually have no chance

to appreciate an art installation when naked,

so I think people enjoy this experience.

We wanted to create a space where visitors can interact

with the local people while relaxing.

Since this is Naoshima,

we wanted a bathhouse that was different...

an art bathhouse.

Naoshima has become famous as an island of architecture and art.

Many people come here from around the world

to visit this tiny island.

That gives us a huge feeling of pride.

Being famous for our architecture and art means so much to us,

and the whole island.

Architecture is a product of planning.

But it can be so inspired that some say it becomes art.

I believe that architecture designed by lofty ideals

does indeed become art.

Next, I would like to share with you our visit to Nagoya.

There are buildings that show the depth of architecture

as it reveals to us the complex history of this city.

Let's go.

We move on to Nagoya, 260 kilometers west of Tokyo.

Home to over two million people,

it's one of Japan's most historically important cities.

Nagoya was the heart of samurai culture in the Edo period.

Then, Japan opened to the West some 150 years ago,

paving the way to modernization.

Precious buildings from that time

have been preserved at the Meijimura museum.

This is the Tomatsu House, where a banking family lived.

It's a three-story wooden building.

It was just a single-story in the late Edo period.

Several extensions were later added,

leading to this silhouette in 1901.

Three-story homes were still a rarity in those days.

This is an early example of a grand merchant house.

It has surprising depth and triple ceiling height.

This home abounds with playful design conceits.

This is one of them. Please take a look.

A half-moon rises.

This second-floor corridor was created

to resemble the path to a teahouse.

When opened, it lets in the light.

The double lattice window below lets in both light and breezes.

The natural light creates delicate patterns on walls and tatami.

Transforming small rooms into infinitely fascinating spaces.

One piece of architecture here stands in contrast to others.

The main entrance of the Imperial Hotel, from 1923.

This is the lobby.

The height of the floor and ceiling varies from one floor

to the next creating dramatic spaces.

Frank Lloyd Wright,

one of the foremost architects of the 20th century

is behind this masterpiece.

His design incorporates light in a distinctive way.

This is the women's lounge on the mezzanine floor.

The large windows were designed

so light floods in from the eaves to the floor.

And the shadows change according to the season and the time of day.

You'll never tire of watching them.

Design that plays with natural light and shadows.

Just like we saw at the merchant's house.

Wright, who spent seven years in Tokyo to complete his hotel,

was exposed to many Japanese architectural styles.

Wright must have been inspired by

how Japanese architecture takes in light and shadow,

and adapted it into his work.

Wright left these words on the subject:

(The Japanese house, -- a perfect expression of organic architecture.)

Compared to our normal understanding of architecture,

we have found in Japan many buildings

that go beyond our expectations.

Showing us a new world of possibilities.

For example, a shrine that floats above the sea

heightens our awareness of a spiritual realm beyond.

Or, an island that dedicates itself to architecture and art,

igniting a continuous flow of creative energy.

Japanese architecture resonates with nature in a way that

opens a new perspective for the rest of the world.

Through this, we rediscovered Japanese architecture anew.

And perhaps it helps reveal the uniqueness of the culture behind it.

Soon, I will be in search of new architectural wonders.

And I hope that you will join me on our next journey.