CultureZohn

View Original

Ryokichi Mukai's Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

It might take a moment for you to figure out what these are. Don't they resemble the work of Jean Arp? That's what I thought when I entered the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, one of the venues for the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra. Though sited directly across from the Museum of Western Art by Le Corbusier, most miss this off the radar gem from 1961. Inside are two halls, a symphony space with these gorgeous cloud shaped acoustical beechwood babies created by Ryokichi Mukai and a smaller space for chamber music and recitals. It's hard to get in to see these spaces without attending a concert, so that's what I did, returning at night for a lovely performance of Beethoven while skulking around trying to access everything else. I tried to organize a proper architecture tour but was rebuffed. Try your luck! Go to their website, there's a video architecture tour.