Tokyo 2020 Venue Designer Kengo Kuma: Five Must-See Works in a Forest Town

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family / Compiled Report
 
The designer of the New National Stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics is renowned architect Kengo Kuma, who has also created five must-see buildings in the incredibly soothing forest town of Kamiyama.

Located in the mountainous region of Shikoku in northwestern Kochi Prefecture, Japan, “Kamiyama Town” is 91% forested and home to the Shikoku Karst — a true forest town. It is also where Sakamoto Ryoma, a hero of the Bakumatsu period, passed through while escaping from his feudal domain, attracting numerous Ryoma fans who follow his escape route. This has made Kamiyama an important historical site within the prefecture.

In 1987, Kengo Kuma first visited Kamiyama to work on the preservation of the Kamiyama-za theater. In interviews years later, he mentioned that the local philosophy of coexisting with wood inspired his subsequent dedication to wooden architecture, even influencing the concept behind the New National Stadium. Kamiyama is his important “benefactor of wood.”

Gallery Above the Clouds, completed in 2018, is Kuma’s latest work. Its exterior maintains the core concept of blending into the surrounding environment, while the interior extensively uses locally sourced cedar. The interwoven wooden beams on the ceiling create a forest-like atmosphere, making it a relaxing space for residents and schoolchildren to read.

Town Stop Kamiyama and Gallery Above the Clouds were completed in the same year. The first floor serves as a local product showroom, while the upper floors function as an annex to the Gallery Above the Clouds hotel. The exterior features thatched roofing, which also provides natural cooling. The first-floor showroom uses full-length cedar logs as pillars, giving the impression of being in a forest.