The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, held in the summer of 2021 after a year-long postponement, featured the "National Stadium" as its main venue. This stadium was designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma (born 1954). Despite the extraordinary decision to hold the games without spectators, the stadium's seating—vividly arranged in a mosaic of five colors—created a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere as if anticipating a packed crowd. Kuma shared the following sentiment about the design:
"A stadium, or any place where many people gather, should be warm and inviting, even when no one is there. It should never feel desolate. No matter what era we live in or what challenges humanity faces, that belief remains unchanged." (from "National Stadium Construction," Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2021, published by Kyodo News)
How did Kuma's journey lead to this remarkable project for the National Stadium? In this article, we explore the background of architect Kengo Kuma, his notable quotes, and his iconic works in Japan.
The Life of Architect Kengo Kuma
Let’s begin with Kengo Kuma's background, focusing on what inspired him to pursue architecture and his key works as an architect. Born in 1954 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Kuma described his father as a "rigid, white-collar company man," but one who also "loved design and architecture" (from Kengo Kuma's book, "To You Who Want to Be an Architect: Life Skills for 14-Year-Olds," Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2021).
Kengo Kuma's Childhood: The Inspiration to Become an Architect
Let’s explore Kengo Kuma’s journey to becoming an architect, as described in his book, "To You Who Want to Be an Architect." His inspiration came during his fourth year of elementary school. At the time, young Kuma dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, influenced by the "Doctor Dolittle" series. However, his life took a significant turn when he encountered a remarkable piece of architecture in Tokyo.
"I am often asked, 'When did you decide to become an architect?' I reply, 'When I saw the National Yoyogi Stadium designed by Kenzo Tange during the first Tokyo Olympics in 1964, accompanied by my father.' I was in fourth grade then. I was blown away by how incredibly cool the building was. I asked my father, 'Who created this?' He told me, 'A designer named Kenzo Tange.' Until that day, I didn’t even know that being an architect was a profession."
The National Yoyogi Stadium, built for the 1964 Olympics, is one of Kenzo Tange's (1913–2005) masterpieces. The building's "suspension structure" and its towering pillars left a lasting impression on young Kuma. Even today, the structure can occasionally be observed through NHK’s live broadcast cameras. During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the stadium served as the venue for handball matches.
Following this encounter, Kuma became a self-proclaimed "architecture chaser." He visited modernist landmarks around Tokyo, including the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan by Kunio Maekawa, the National Museum of Western Art by Le Corbusier, and the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art by Junzo Sakakura.
A Few of Kengo Kuma’s Notable Works
After experiencing a research trip to Africa during his graduate studies, Kuma spent three years each working at a major architectural firm and a general contractor. He then studied at Columbia University in New York before founding Kengo Kuma and Associates in 1990 upon returning to Japan. Let’s shift our focus to some of his representative works, accessible to both locals and tourists alike.
Starbucks and Museums: 5 Iconic Works Easily Accessible for Tourists
1. National Stadium (Tokyo)
The first location is the National Stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo, which was also mentioned earlier in this article. Even after the Olympics and Paralympics, the stadium continues to host various sporting events and concerts. Additionally, visitors can participate in the "National Stadium Tour," which allows them to explore facilities such as the stadium track and VIP lounges. For a closer look at what the tour entails, please refer to the article linked below.
👉 Experience the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Games! Feel like an athlete on a National Stadium Tour
2. Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo (Tokyo)
Also located in Tokyo, this Starbucks Reserve® Roastery in Meguro was designed by Kengo Kuma. True to its name, this roastery includes an in-house coffee roasting facility. Visitors can consult with baristas, enjoy coffee tastings, and explore a tea-focused floor where they can savor teas such as hojicha and matcha-based beverages.
3. Kadokawa Musashino Museum (Saitama)
Another notable location in the greater Tokyo area is the Kadokawa Musashino Museum, part of Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Kengo Kuma oversaw the architectural design of this facility. One of its most famous features is the "Bookshelf Theater," a library space surrounded by towering eight-meter bookshelves where projection mapping shows are held. This venue gained widespread attention when the music duo YOASOBI performed here during the 2020 NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.
Address: 3-31-3 Higashi-Tokorozawa Wada, Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture
- Access: About a 10-minute walk from JR Musashino Line "Higashi-Tokorozawa" Station
- Hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (last entry at 5:30 PM)
- Closed: Every Tuesday (open if Tuesday is a public holiday)
👉 One of Japan's largest pop culture hubs Tokorozawa "Tokorozawa Sakura Town" in Saitama
4. TOYAMA Kirari (Toyama)
TOYAMA Kirari, a multipurpose facility that houses the Toyama Glass Art Museum, was also designed by Kengo Kuma. The building's exterior combines granite, glass, and aluminum, evoking the majestic Tateyama Mountain Range, visible from within the city. Inside the museum, visitors can enjoy exhibitions of "contemporary glass art from the Toyama City collection" and installations featured in the "Glass Art Garden."
👉Toyama Glass Art Museum, Displays Contemporary Glass Art from All Over the World
5. koé donuts kyoto (Kyoto)
Located in Kyoto's Nakagyo Ward, koé donuts kyoto is a donut factory with a store interior designed by Kengo Kuma. The design incorporates "ethical and soft interiors using bamboo from Kyoto's Arashiyama." True to its theme of "a bamboo basket space that leads inward," the store features 572 traditional hexagonal bamboo baskets, crafted in a technique known as "six-eye weaving." For more details on koé donuts' new products, check out the following article.
Five Notable Works Discussed by Kengo Kuma in His Writings
1.Kirosan Panorama Park (Ehime)
The Kirosan Panorama Park, located on Oshima Island in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture, is a project designed by Kengo Kuma. In his book The Architect Runs (Shinchosha, 2013), Kuma recalls how the local mayor requested "a conspicuous observatory that could serve as a monument for the town." However, Kuma proposed something entirely opposite—a bold idea to "bury the observatory into the mountain itself."
Later, Kuma reflected on this work, stating: "My desire to erase architecture manifested in its purest form in this project, resulting in the paradoxical solution of a 'buried observatory'" (All Works, Daiwa Shobo, 2022).
2. Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum of Art (Tochigi)
The Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum of Art in Nakagawa, Nasu District, Tochigi Prefecture, is dedicated to the ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Hiroshige, renowned for works like The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido. Hiroshige’s artwork often features linear rain and layered landscapes of bridges and rivers beyond those lines. Kuma translated this harmony between nature and humanity into an architectural expression of "layered wooden latticework," creating a structure with "walls and roofs entirely made of wooden lattices" (The Architect Runs). Currently, a crowdfunding initiative is underway for renovation work on the museum (as of the article's publication).
3. M2 (Tokyo)
Located in Setagaya, Tokyo, M2 was originally built as a design lab for an automobile manufacturer. The building's concept stemmed from a drawing by Kuma that resembled "giant Greco-Roman columns topped with a Russian avant-garde-style antenna." Upon its completion, the building faced criticism as a "symbol of the bubble economy" and received significant backlash (To the Aspiring Architects). Today, the building serves as a funeral hall.
4. Takanawa Gateway Station (Tokyo)
Takanawa Gateway Station in Minato, Tokyo, opened in 2020 as the 30th station on the Yamanote Line—the first new station in 49 years. According to Kuma (All Works), he sought to create "a warm and soft space not seen in 20th-century stations" by designing roof frames combining steel and cedar from Fukushima Prefecture. The station’s pillars and outer walls are also covered in wood, and the floors are made with specially textured tiles to convey the warmth of wood.
5. Murakami Haruki Library (Waseda International House of Literature) (Tokyo)
Located on the Waseda University campus in Shinjuku, Tokyo, the Murakami Haruki Library was a renovation project overseen by Kuma. The library was established after the world-famous author Haruki Murakami donated and entrusted his materials to Waseda University. Inspired by the "tunnel structure unique to Murakami's novels," Kuma designed a wooden "hole = tunnel" at the center of the building (All Works).
Kengo Kuma’s Words: A Professional and Ichigo Ichie (once-in-a-lifetime encounter)
During an appearance on NHK's Professional: The Way of Work, Kuma was asked, "What is a professional?" (Kenichiro Motegi, NHK "Professional" Production Team, ed., Professional Work Style 15, Japan Broadcasting Publishing Corporation, 2007). He responded:
"A professional is often imagined as someone who masters a specific skill and repeats the same task over and over. But I think in today’s world, a professional is someone who doesn't repeat themselves. They avoid doing the same thing twice.
In this era, both encounters between people and interactions with objects are valued as unique, one-time-only experiences—'ichigo ichie.' A professional is someone who can embody such moments and avoid repetition. That’s what I believe."
In his book To the Aspiring Architects, Kuma also shares success stories from his various projects. These include building the Stone Museum in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, under the challenging condition of a "zero budget"; learning to "build the local way" through his Bamboo House project near the Great Wall of China (which appeared in a 2008 Beijing Olympics commercial); and creating Casa Umbrella in Italy, a concept for emergency housing using umbrellas for the Milan Triennale. Kuma’s approach reflects his professional ethos: continuously taking on challenges, working with diverse materials, and addressing financial and practical constraints with creativity and innovation.
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